


Loz: Breath of the Wild One-Shot Collection

by blobbyclouds



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Blood and Injury, Kidnapping, Minor Violence, Multi, One-Shots, Reader Death, ransoming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:55:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 24,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23506462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blobbyclouds/pseuds/blobbyclouds
Summary: A collection of one-shot requests :) The first chapter acts as in index for the chapters, so just go there to find the story you want!
Relationships: Link/Reader, Prince Sidon/Reader
Comments: 6
Kudos: 105





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This first chapter is like an index of sorts :) Simply look under the character name and go to the chapter number next to the request! I will continue to update this as I write more. Last updated as of September 27th, 2020 (btw my twitter is @littlewriter18)

**-Link-**

2\. Female s/o beating him at chess

3\. Link discovering his female s/o is secretly a very capable warrior

4\. Link's s/o having a close call that makes him teach them how to sword fight

5\. Link and s/o making creamy heart soup together

7\. Link and female knight s/o fighting Ganon together and she gets injured

8\. Link realizing s/o doesn't do well with blood

10\. Part 2 to Link and female knight s/o fighting Ganon

11\. Different ending to Link and female knight s/o fighting Ganon

12\. Link and s/o have no memories of one another, but feel a connection in little moments :) 

15\. Feisty f!reader getting drunk and rambling about Link's cuteness 

**-Prince Sidon-**

6\. S/o kidnapped and ransomed by Yiga Clan

9\. S/o being poisoned by Yiga Clan

13\. F!s/o having squeaky sneeze everytime they come out of water 

14\. Protecting s/o from Yiga Clan attack 


	2. Link x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and his s/o are playing chess, and they absolutely destroy him in the game :)

“Chess?” Link said, glancing down at the box in her hand. “You want to play that?”

“Yes.” She jiggled the contents of the box. “Do you know how to play?”

He nodded. “All too well,” he sighed. “Zelda had a bit of fascination with it for awhile. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve played it.”

“Good!” she chirped. “You want to play?”

Link, of course, was quick to agree. While the rebuilding of Hyrule had been going smoothly, it had still been plenty stressful. This was one of the few days that the both of them had had spare time, and he intended to spend it with her, even if it meant playing chess. She especially had been giving her all into the business of the kingdom, and he figured playing chess would be well worth it if doing so made her happy.

Soon enough, they were sitting at a small table on one of the castle terraces. The rolling hills, snaking rivers, and towering mountains of the sunny day were a novel view, but one they had come accustomed to and didn’t mind much. Instead, the pair were intently eyeing the wooden board. Even Link had drawn his gaze away from the beckoning landscape to focus on the board, leaning forward as he recalled the rules. Each wooden piece was in it’s starting position, untouched and ready to be moved.

“You remember how to play?” she asked.

Link leaned back into his chair. “Yes, I think I do.”

“Good,” she smiled, a smile bright enough to briefly draw Link’s focused gaze from the board. “You can go first.”

“No, please, ladies first,” he replied with a charming grin, making a grand motion for her to make the first move. The more he thought about chess and his past experience with it, the more certain he became of his abilities. If he was remembering correctly, he hadn’t been completely horrible when playing against Zelda. Surely, he assured himself, he had won at least a few times.

“You seem confident,” she replied mildly. She carefully picked a pawn and slid it forward.

Link shrugged. “It’s coming back to me.” He moved one of his own dark pawns forward.

At the start of the game, a casual conversation was carried throughout their turns. Nothing too exciting happened, and their conversations revolving around the reviving kingdom, daily happenings, and other random subjects that sparked up managed to continue with only the occasional pause. It wasn’t until halfway into the game when the board was a tangled mess of dark and light brown that the general flow of conversation stopped. They were completely absorbed with thinking of their next move.

Link especially was having to put in careful consideration to every move. While his girlfriend appeared to be moving her pieces without a second thought, he found himself taking longer and longer with every turn. Her face remained calm and pleasant, even as his began to furrow in thought.

As he currently studied the board, she just barely hid her smirk. Under normal circumstances, Link was a tactical genius. He could find his opponent’s weakness and use his own strengths to take them down, no matter the odds. Yet there he was, indecisive and completely baffled by these wooden figures. His hand would flutter towards a piece, then dart back away with a gentle shake of his head. This would happen a few times before he would finally decide on one, and slide it forward. On this turn, he chose the knight, and hopped it forward.

The moment his hand drifted back to his side, she was whisking her rook up and grabbing his knight. The move, while second nature in her own mind, caused Link to glance between where the two pieces had been on his own turn and silently question how stupid he had to be to miss that trap. She added his knight to her growing pile of dark brown figures.

Then all over again Link’s eyes were roving over the board. His eyes were calm and calculating, though a hint of utter confusion was beginning to shine in them. Of course, few people would ever notice his perplexity. Had a maid or guard been passing by, they would’ve simply seen Link’s usually neutral yet friendly expression, and carried on with their day. At most, they might’ve had noticed the playful way he would purse his lips in thought, but nothing more than that.

After a few more moments in which Link was beginning to doubt how well he had _actually_ fared in his games against Zelda, he slid his bishop forward. He hesitated for a split second, then sat back and decided there wasn’t much he could do if he had made another wrong move.

Luckily, the bishop went unharmed in the next turn. Although, his rook was swept up by her own bishop in one delicate slide. Link just barely stopped his mouth from gaping open. He had been so sure, so incredibly certain, that his defense had been impenetrable. Yet despite the thought he had put into his move, she quietly added another dark brown piece to her collection.

Across the table, she was having a harder time containing the flicker of a smile tempting her features. The irony of the situation was surprising to say the least. Link, the hero of Hyrule _Link_ , that could take down bokoblins in one shot, battle charging lynels with uncanny speed and accuracy, or shoot down darting lizalfos without breaking a sweat was the very same one sitting before her that could barely go two turns without losing a piece.

She had personally seen him in action on countless occasions, sometimes when he was fighting to protect her. Although, she reflected, in those cases, Link became a deadly blur so fast it was impossible to properly track his movements. It was a sharp contrast to him now, still pouring over the wooden figures as though they had some ancient language scrawled upon them.

He suddenly hopped his last knight forward and leaned back in a self satisfied way.

She frowned slightly, breaking away from her thoughts. “Are you sure you want to do that?” Her eyes had already analyzed the board with their uncanny speed.

Link nodded solemnly. “Very sure.”

“But that would leave your queen completely vulnerable.” She gently pointed towards her own rook and bishop, both of which could slide in and capture the queen in the next turn.

Link looked back down at the board and suddenly realized the predicament he had placed himself in. “Oh.”

She gave him a teasing look and shook her head. “I’ll let you take back your move just this once,” she said.

Link, beginning to flush a soft red, hurriedly nodded and took up her offer. He slid the knight back, and chose to move his bishop forward instead. He managed to take out one of her pawns in the move. Sadly, his bishop was quickly captured by her knight in the next turn.

And so they continued. The board slowly became dominated by her light brown pieces, while the dark brown figures slowly dwindled away. Link was slipping deeper and deeper into confusion. He took longer on each turn, trying to puzzle out all the dozens of possibilities each move could lead to. What took him at least a few minutes took her but a few seconds to figure out, and his lack of experience was becoming all the more apparent with every move.

It was with a slow and angelic smile from his opponent that brought the game to an end. Slowly and innocently, her hand stretched across the board. Link eyed her hand nervously. There was a keen look in her eyes, one that meant she had something up her sleeve. Her hand reached her queen. Link bit his lip nervously. Even he knew that the queen was a piece not to be toyed with. Then, with that same angelic smile on her features, she gracefully slid her queen to the right. “Check mate.”

Link, who had been watching her move the queen across the board, took a moment to realize that she did have a perfect and inevitable shot to his king. He leaned back in defeat, exhaling a slow breath.

“But… how?” he mumbled, shaking his head in quiet wonder. Just a few seconds ago, he had believed that his king was perfectly safe, yet somehow she had managed to undo his carefully planned defense.

She shrugged, feigning a look of complete innocence. “I don’t know,” she said. “Probably just luck.” Link cocked an eyebrow in silent skepticism. Even he, who had been left baffled by her every move, knew that her victory had been brought about by nothing but cunning skill. How she had managed to perfectly plan her every move was beyond him, but his respect for her increased regardless.

“Remind to never play chess against you again,” he breathed, flashing her a rueful grin.

She pouted playfully. “Oh, come on, Link,” she said. “Don’t you want to play another game?”

“No,” he said, raising a warning finger. “No.”

She grinned devilishly. “Please, Link?” Her eyes softened and her smile turned to one gentle and innocent.

Link bit his lip and looked away from her pleading gaze. He tried to focus on the open plains, plains they could be traveling across right now, but his eyes slowly came back to hers.

“One more game,” he sighed, smiling as her eyes lit up.

Sadly for Link, he met a similar fate in the second game, along with the third, fourth, and fifth game. With each loss, he slowly began to recall the true results of his earlier experiences with chess against Zelda. He had lost each and every one.


	3. Link x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and a female s/o are on a mission. When the situation becomes dangerous, he realizes that she's not as harmless as she seems

When Link had first agreed to go on a brief expedition into the Hebra Mountains in search of a possibly valuable mineral deposit, he had believed that it would be nothing more than a quick trip, there and back without any trouble. He had been through the mountains numerous times and already knew which trails to take that would allow him to avoid any trouble. It was this confidence that had caused him to bring his lover along upon her request. At that time, he hadn’t seen any reason why she shouldn’t join him on the trip. It would be fairly safe, and having her company was always enjoyable.

However, right then and there, he couldn’t help but feel as if the world had decided to do everything in its power to prove him wrong since they had set off from Rito Village that very morning. It had all started with the Rito at the trail head who had warned them to stay off the main trail due to a recent avalanche. This had forced them onto the lesser traveled trails that Link wasn’t familiar with. Not only was this slowing them down a good deal, but it was increasing their chances of running into trouble considerably more than Link would’ve liked. It was as if the whole mountain range had been offended by Link’s nonchalant approach towards it, and now believed it had to make his life as difficult as possible. Most times Link wouldn’t have batted an eye about this. He would’ve shrugged the change of plans away and continued on, determined and fearless as ever.

The reason this wasn’t the case was because  _ she _ was with him. That’s not to say he saw her as a burden — quite the opposite since he enjoyed her company so much, especially in these frozen mountains. The problem was, they were on a now very dangerous mission and he had never seen her fight before, not even once. He had never thought to ask either, fearing a question like that would come out the wrong way. Sure, there was a strong glint in her eyes that made him think she was capable of doing considerable damage if she absolutely needed too, but when in the midst of mountains like these, it was hard to rest his faith within the glint of an eye.

“Link? Link, are you okay?”

Her voice, calm and gentle as ever, jolted Link back into reality. He had momentarily been so caught up in his thoughts that he had forgotten about the freezing snow whipping around them and the cold nibbling at the exposed portions of their faces. He silently cursed his lack of vigilance before turning to face her.

“I’m fine,” he replied, managing a faint smile despite the cold. “Is something wrong?” His eyes instinctively darted side to side, half expecting to see some dark form lurking out of the blur of white snow closing in on them. Had something snuck up on them while he had been lost in thought? With visibility so poor, it wouldn’t be hard to believe that there could be something lurking just outside of their sight.

“I was just asking how much longer we’ll be on this path,” she said. Link allowed himself a brief sight of relief. “We’ve been on this path for awhile now and I don’t want us to miss our turn,” she added. She struggled to keep the map in her hands from flying away in the strong wind, but still managed to gesture towards the path they were now on. It wasn’t the path marked by the thick line Zelda had made for them, but instead the near ineligible scribbling of the Rito who had given them directions for the detour around the avalanche zone.

Link’s sharp blue eyes quickly analyzed the map, checking for any familiar landmarks. “Not too much longer,” he said. He pointed to a point on the map, then gestured towards a large rock outcrop in front of them. “We’ll have to turn right there though.” Link frowned slightly as he said that. Most times, he had at least a rough idea as to what was around each and every turn, having been through the mountains numerous times and having seen countless maps. Yet, somehow, he was at a complete loss as to what was around that sharp bend in the rocks.

“Be careful around the next corner,” he said in a low voice, idly resting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Her brow furrowed in confusion, but she still slowed her steps. “Why? Is something wrong?” She hurriedly glanced up and down the narrow path they were on, looking as far as the white snow would allow her eyes to see.

“Just being precautionary,” Link said.

The corners of her lips twitched into an amused smile. “You? Precautionary? Are you feeling okay?”

Link snorted and allowed himself a faint smile, figuring it best not to mention why he was being unusually cautious. “I’m feeling just fine,” he said. “I just don’t want anything going south this far out in the mountains.”

She nodded, falling in step behind him as they neared the corner. They pressed themselves up against the rough wall, straining their senses to pick up on the slightest hint of danger. Link especially was focused on listening. His body was tense, ready to jump between her and any sort of beast that might dart around the corner. Their every step through the soft snow seemed to loud, every breath seemed sure to draw attention. 

Fortunately, luck seemed to be at least a little on their side for the first time that day. They reached the corner without interruption, allowing Link to peer around the jagged rock. He stayed silent, keen eyes roving over the scene.

“What is it?” she whispered. She was itching to get a good look on whatever had captured Link’s attention. However, when she tried to lean past him and peer around the corner with him, she was met by Link’s arm gently pushing her back.

“Come on, just let me see,” she whispered again, crossing her arms and puffing her cheeks.

“If we both look they’ll see us,” Link murmured. He looked out a few moments more, then stepped back and motioned for her to take his place on the edge of the corner.

She eagerly darted forward, leaning against the wall so that only her head would peak around the bend. Even with the snow flying every which way, it was quick to see what had captured Link’s attention: a trio of monsters huddled around a small fire. All three were bokoblins, each with their weapons lying off to the side. There was nothing particularly menacing about them, nor anything interesting about the simple clearing they were huddled in.

Nevertheless, her hand still drifted down to the two hidden pockets in her cloak, a motion that went completely unnoticed by Link. “So what’s the big deal about them?” she asked, stepping back from the corner once she had satisfied her curiosity. “We’ll be able to take care of them in a matter of seconds, especially since there’s only three of them.”

Link shrugged, a worried glimmer in his usually calm eyes. “That’s just it though,” he said. “That group is far too small to be a camp this far out in the mountains.”

“Well, maybe they’re just scouts,” she suggested with a comforting smile.

“But scouts wouldn’t have that many supplies with them,” he said. He motioned for her to take another look around the corner.

When she did so, she was surprised to see that he was right; there were far too many crates and chests scattered around the clearing for the three bokoblins to just be scouts.

“I guess you’re right,” she said, coming back into cover. “It is a little odd.”

Link nodded, narrowing his eyes in quiet confusion. “Something just seems off about the whole thing.”

The ghost of a smile flickered up her features despite the situation. “Or maybe you’re just being overprotective.”

Link stiffened, flicking his gaze onto her. “I’m not being overprotective. I just don’t want anything going wrong when we’re this far from help.”

She let out a small hum of quiet amusement and shook her head, sliding back behind Link.

“Well, there’s no sense just standing around here,” he murmured. He began to silently pull his sword from its scabbard, moving slowly so that it didn’t make a sound

“Okay then, let’s go.” She went to dive around the corner, only to be yanked right back into hiding behind Link.

“How about you just stay here?” Link said hurriedly, offering a gentle smile. “It’ll be safer.”

As Link glanced around the corner to make sure the brief commotion hadn’t caught any unwanted attention, she bit her lip silently. She was ready to go, ready to fight. She had been ready for ages really, but now more than ever she just wanted to  _ go _ . Yet, even as she was bursting with energy, she had enough common sense to know that she would be fighting a losing battle if she tried to insist upon joining Link. She knew he meant well and was only doing what he thought was best, but it didn’t make it any less frustrating.

“Alright, I’ll stay here,” she agreed. Maybe some other time she would be able to show her hand in a fight, she thought.

Link nodded and breathed a sigh of quiet relief. Then, flashing her a quick grin, he dove around the corner. Despite the cold biting away at his exposed skin and the snow trying to drag him down to the ground, he was able to seemingly glide over the white path. He moved with deadly speed and silence, so that by the time the bokoblins were even aware of his presence he was already upon them.

The bokoblins, in all honesty, had never stood much of a chance. Even as they jumped to their feet, Link turned one into a haze of deep purple smoke with one deft hand stroke. The other two, despite having snatched up their own weapons now, were handled in a similar manner. Their thoughtless jabs and swipes were blocked by a single flick of Link’s sword or effortlessly dodged. It didn’t take long for him to find a hole in their defense and take advantage, gliding forward and allowing his blade to dart forward like the silver tongue of a snake.

As the last bokoblin disappeared into a haze of dark purple smoke, Link sheathed his sword. He took a few deep breaths and smoothed back his hair — which was still a mess despite his best efforts. After he glanced around the clearing for a few moments and ascertained that there were no threats now left in the camp, he turned back towards the path he had come from.

With some amusement, he saw that her head was already poking around the rough wall, beautiful eyes surrounded by a mess of scarves smiling towards him through the thick snow.

“Coast’s clear!” Link called to her, flashing her a matching grin.

She nodded and stepped past the rough stone. At first everything was normal. She held her cloak close to her chest and kept her head down to avoid the harsh slap of the wind, but still managed to make her way forward.

She had only been walking for a few moments when she suddenly came to a dead stop. Her body stiffened, going rigid and whipping around. The air, still sharp and cold, seemed to have a sense of anxiety to it too now, even if Link didn’t know what had caused her sudden reaction. 

“Is something wrong?” he asked, taking a hesitant step forward. His hand was itching towards his sword out of some sixth sense for danger. Something was wrong. He didn’t know what, but something was most definitely amiss. The one thing keeping him from darting to her side was his last shred of dignity that told him doing so would result in him being teased about being overprotective for who knows how long.

Before Link even had a chance of considering sacrificing his last bit of dignity, it happened. Three moblins came sliding around the corner, skidding through the snow in their haste.

Time seemed to freeze. A million thoughts when through Link’s head at once, the first being a wave of fear more chilling than the cold air around him. His chest tightened, his stomach dropped; he felt like he was going to be sick for a moment with everything happening too slow and too fast at the same time. The person he cared most about was just a few swipes away from meeting her fate with — as far as he knew — no way to fight back. It was a harsh and sudden realization that seemingly ripped the air right from his lungs.

And sprinkled throughout his rush of panicked thoughts were silent curses towards himself for completely forgetting to check behind them. He should’ve taken a moment to think and at least glanced at the path they had already traveled, checking for any signs that they were being followed. Somehow, he had forgotten, even though the camp lacking in numbers should’ve told him that there were scouts out in the area. Yet he had still blundered right out here, so determined to protect her from what lay right in front of them that he hadn’t given a passing thought to glancing backwards. He would never forgive himself if she was the one to pay the price for his mistake.

Despite the whirlwind of panic swirling in his mind just as strongly as the snow swirling around him, Link forced himself to be calm. In a split second decision, he decided there was no way he could reach her side by foot — she was too far away and the snow was too thick. His best option would be to shoot an arrow. Even if he was lacking the extra few seconds it would take to perfectly draw, aim, and shoot a killing shot, any hit would at least buy her time. If he was lucky, one shot would be all it would take to distract the moblins away from her and onto him.

Regardless of how many thoughts had just shot through his mind in an instant, Link had his bow up and knocked just a few seconds after the moblins had made their appearance. His keen eyes were narrowing in on his target — the very middle moblin closest to her. He was judging distance and the effect of the mountain wind with complete calm, ready to release the moment he saw fit.

But the bow was only halfway drawn when the first moblin was vanishing into purple smoke. Link paused, not quite registering what had just happened. From his point of view, there had only been a quick movement from her oddly still form, then the next moment the moblin was collapsing into smoke. He was confused — baffled really — until she scooped up the shining dagger that had fallen where the moblin had just vanished.

Oh.

_ Oh. _

The realization hit Link in a mixture of confusion, anxiety, and pride.

_ She _ had taken down that moblin, with no more than a dagger and her much smaller frame compared to the beasts she was facing.

Then before Link’s mind could quite catch up with the sudden revelation, she was on the go. She was moving in a blur, cloak and scarves swirling around her as she deftly slid towards the clumsy moblins, her twin blades moving around her like a pair of deadly fangs. Even from the distance he was at, he saw the way she stood against the oncoming moblins and the way she wielded her two daggers. She was confident, holding herself with an air of experience that was almost frightening for Link.

Link, frozen in place and still trying to comprehend everything that was happening too fast for him to process, could only watch as she moved with dangerous agility he had never known she was capable of. One moment she was right in front of the moblins, the next she was to their right and her daggers were flashing towards them in lethal strikes. 

She was fast. She was accurate. She was intimidating. She was _ dangerous _ . 

But just as quickly as the scuffle had started, it ended. All three moblins were a haze of purple smoke after those chaotic moments had passed. She was now left standing perfectly calm like she had been just a few moments ago, while Link was left standing more confused than ever.

Link wordlessly opened and closed his mouth, his heart still pounding despite the danger having already passed. It was true he had never been the one in danger, but seeing her in harm’s way felt even worse. He was frozen in a battle stance, bow still in his hands and ready to release an arrow towards the moblins that no longer existed. 

She, however, seemed completely untroubled by what just happened. She neatly smoothed down her cloak and scarves. Her breathing wasn’t coming quick and hard from the sudden exertion, nor was she showing any signs of fear or surprise. If Link hadn’t just watched her expertly wipe out those poor monsters, he wouldn’t have believed that she — standing there so innocent and serene like — would’ve landed one hit on any of the monsters.

She finally turned towards Link, the ghost of a proud smile teasing at her lips as she saw how he was gaping at her. “What?” She quickly slid the daggers back into the hidden pockets of her cloak and glided over to him.

At last, Link was capable of moving again. He quickly relaxed back into a normal standing position, though the quiet look of confusion didn’t leave his face. “What?” he repeated.

She nodded solemnly as she now stood just in front of him. “Yes, what’s wrong?” she asked plainly. “You look surprised.”

“Well, yeah. I am,” he said, struggling for words. “I didn’t know you could do… that.” He helplessly gestured towards the remains of the three monsters around her. “Since… since when have you been able do that?” Link blurted out. He was at a complete and utter loss here, more so when he realized just how amused she was by his reaction.

“Oh, for quite some time actually.” She smiled brightly.

Link racked his mind, searching for any time that he might’ve seen her handle any weapon like that. He drew a complete blank. While he had always known that she was strong and clever, he had never actually seen her in a fight. Although, now that he thought about it, it made sense. This explained the confident way she held herself in training rooms, her extensive knowledge on weaponry, and her constant tranquility no matter how dangerous the predicament was. All the little details that he had overlooked for some reason slowly added up, allowing a look of understanding to slowly dawn upon his face.

“But I’ve never seen you fight like that before,” he murmured, his blue eyes switching to her as he searched for an answer.

She laughed lightly. “That’s because you never let me near a fight in the first place,” she said, emphasizing her point by poking him in the chest.

Link went to object but paused. He realized with a red flush to his face that she wasn’t wrong. Up to this point, whenever he was by her side he made certain that she was kept well out of harm’s way. No matter how long she had possessed these abilities, she wouldn’t have been able to show them with the way he had been diving between her and any danger.

A coy smile flashed up her face. “You get it now?”

Link nodded, ears tinted red and twitching. “In my defense, I would’ve let you into any fight if I’d known you could do that,” he said, the hint of an apology in his voice.

“And I’m sure you will now that you know you don’t need to be Mr. overprotective all the time,” she teased, bopping his nose as she walked past him and towards the path up ahead.

Link stiffened and darted after to her. “I’m not overprotective,” he said once he was matching her pace.

She shrugged and smiled, fidgeting with the daggers in her pockets. “Well then why didn’t you let me go out there with you just back there?”

Link crossed his arms. “Well, I didn’t know just a few minutes ago and—”

“Or what about that time back in Akkala or that other time in the Gerudo Highlands? Oh and how could I forget about that time in Hateno— “

“Point taken, I’ll let you beat more monsters up,” Link said crisply as he tried, and failed, to hide his rising blush.


	4. Link x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link's s/o has a close call that makes him decide to teach them how to sword fight (technically, this is a prequel to some headcanons I did where LInk teaches his s/o how to sword fight)

No matter how much they tried to busy themself with laying out the camp in the shelter of a large tree, they couldn’t help but feel like they were being watched. Every time they moved from one side of the clearing to take a bag off the horse, they were beyond certain a pair of eyes were following their every step. Even when they were sitting still and trying to start up a fire, they could feel keen eyes burning in to the back of their neck.

They knew it couldn’t be Link since he was off fetching fresh water from a nearby river. It couldn’t be the horses either, since the two of them were minding their own business while they munched on grass. Of course, realizing that wasn’t exactly helpful. If it wasn’t any of those three, it had to be something else, something they weren’t quite aware of and weren’t quite sure if they even  _ wanted _ to be aware of. Regardless of their fear, their mind was off in it’s own little world, conjuring up dark monsters hiding in a shadow just beyond their sight, fangs gleaming as it waited for the perfect moment to strike them down **—**

“Get a grip,” they mumbled. “You’re just being paranoid and imagining things that aren’t there. Besides,” they added with a shrug, “you can’t  _ feel  _ someone watching you. You’re completely safe.” They nodded thoughtfully as the first sparks of the fire came to life, growing more sure of their safety. Surely, Link of all people would never leave them anywhere with the slightest hint of danger. Considering that, they  _ had _ to be perfectly safe, right? Plus, what monster in all of Hyrule could possibly have any interest in little old them?

As they began to list out more and more reasons to convince themself of their safety, they grew ever more sure. Even if their reasons weren’t all perfectly logical, they managed to install just enough confidence in them so that they were able to draw their gaze away from constantly scanning the treeline for danger. With their eyes finally looking in the right place, the fire soon fully sparked to life.

The sight of the fire was welcoming, especially with the wind and rain swirling about just above the safety of their large tree. It illuminated most of the forest clearing, creating a warm and friendly glow. Its lively crackle reminded them of home, and, if they closed their eyes and thought hard enough, they could almost trick their mind into thinking they  _ were _ home. The anxiety of possibly being watched slowly faded away, replaced by the content feeling of safe and sound at home. Even if it was only their imagination, thinking about being curled up next to the fire with a bowl of hot soup, warm blankets, and a sleepy Link managed to ebb away their paranoia.

They smiled fondly at the idea as they huddled closer to the fire. Almost like a small child, they felt that by having a light all of those dark creatures of the night would somehow be warded off. As long as they had a light, somehow, the monsters wouldn’t be able to get them.

“See, everything is fine,” they mumbled, warming up their hands. “You’ll have some warm food soon, Link will come back with the water, you can get some—”

The sharp snap of a twig in the distance brought their anxiety crashing back down on them. Their eyes flew across the forest, searching for some dangerous figure swarming toward them. Their heart was suddenly pounding frantically, even as their wide eyes found nothing out of the ordinary about the forest outside the clearing. The trees bushes were just as they had been a few moments ago: a mess of dark green being stirred around by the wind and rain.

Of course, now they couldn’t relax again. They were sitting rigidly, eyes carefully scanning the tree line as they tried to stop shaking. The fire was casting ominous shadows around the forest, creating a monster in every tree’s silhouette and a foreboding warning in every flicker of light against the wet leaves. Every quiver of the flame sent the forest shifting and sliding with shadows, making them jump every time they swore they saw something more than shadow moving. But, as was with every single occasion in which this happened, they were forced to relax once they realized it was just a branch.

Everything in this clearing felt off, even more so than before. The forest seemed too quiet, but the rain and wind seemed too loud. They felt too alone, but not alone enough either. It was an unsettling sensation and one they wanted to be rid of as soon as possible. They wanted to get up and run  **—** run to Link who would assure them they were safe and sound, assure them that everything was okay.

No, they thought stubbornly, gritting their teeth and sitting firmly on the ground. They weren’t going to go running to Link like a small child. They were smart and capable. Although their pride was already somewhat bruised from being scared like this by just a few shadows and distant scuffles, their last big of dignity told them that running to Link was not an option.

A distant rustle almost broke their resolve. They flew to their feet, no longer caring if they looked like an idiot with their head swiveling back and forth. They weren’t quite sure where it had come from. It almost sounded like it had come from the portion of the clearing opposite them, but when they looked there all they could see were teasing shadows dancing across the treeline.

They tried to make themselves sit back down, but their legs were locked in place. Every fiber in their body told them that there was danger whether they wanted to acknowledge it or not. Something was wrong. They didn’t know what, but  _ something _ was definitely wrong. They took in a deep albeit shaky breath as they tried to soothe their racing heart.

“Link will be back any second now,” they whispered, still keeping their eyes trained on the spot they had heard the rustle in. “Link will be back and he’ll go look and it’ll just be an animal and he’ll make sure you stay safe.” Now, more than ever, they wished he was there. Link had the finest tuned sense in all of Hyrule. If there was danger, he could pick up in a heartbeat and deal with it just as quickly.

As that thought ran through their head, the glimmer of a sword caught their glance. The sword, an extra of Link’s, was resting against a tree just within their reach. Even if they didn’t have a clue as to how to use a sword, the idea of having  _ something _ to defend themselves with was appealing.

But, they thought, you’ll look like an idiot pointing a sword at some monster that isn’t even there when Link comes back. Like before, their dignity refused to be broken any more than it already was. Link will come back and take care of this, they told themself, and then you won’t feel like an idiot and everything will be okay. Just stay calm, don’t do anything idiotic, and ignore your dumb paranoia.

An especially loud crack from only a few feet outside the clearing was what broke their resolve. They darted down to the tree and snatched up the sword. Even if their two hands could barely lift the one-handed sword, the smooth feeling of the hilt gave them some reassurance. Sure, they probably couldn’t swing this thing without cutting themself and they were probably looking like an idiot, but looking like a fool was the farthest thing from their mind. The only thing they could focus on was hoping to Hylia that whatever was out there could be easily intimidated by their sword, regardless of how clueless they were in terms of actually wielding it.

Heart still pounding in their chest, they threateningly waved the sword towards the space they had heard the loud crack. “I’m not afraid to use this,” they said. They tried to make their voice sound cool and calm, much like Link. Sadly, their voice turned out like more of a shaking squeak that might give out any second.

Link was going to be back any second now, they told themself. Any second now, Link would enter the clearing with a bucket full of fresh water and everything would be okay. But even as they said that, the hairs on the back of their neck rose, every nerve prickling with adrenaline.

“Link, please hurry up,” they mumbled. Their body was shaking now, even their hands couldn’t hold the sword steady. Yes, they had been in sticky situations before. They had had their close calls with escapes and their moments of just scraping by danger that had made them fear for their lives. But in all those cases, there had always been _ Link _ . He had always been there, always been there to keep them safe and calm their fears.

Now he wasn’t here and they couldn’t have been more terrified.

“Whoever is out there, show yourself,” they said, their voice just as shaky as before.

The only reply was a lonesome howl of the wind that snatched their breath away and sent the fire dancing anxiously.

“Link, is that you?” they asked, taking a cautious step forward. “If that’s you, please just come out. You’re scaring me.” At this point, they didn’t care if they sounded like a small child. Their dignity had all but given in to fear, survival overruling all other thoughts.

There was a rush of rustling, too loud to be ignored. Now, more than ever, they were certain there was something out there, something large and unfriendly that definitely had ill willed intentions. The horses were now dancing against their tethers, ears perked up high and facing the same way they were.

A white bokoblin suddenly broke from the treeline, hurriedly creeping towards them with a terrifyingly sharp sword in its hand. They shrieked and, out of pure idiotic reflex, chucked the sword towards the oncoming beast. The sword barely went a few feet and only served to further irritate the creature. Instantly, they began to scramble backwards. Then, before they even knew what was happening, their feet were slipping over something rough on the ground. Their hands waved around wildly as they fought to regain their balance, but it was pointless now. They were tumbling backwards, landing in a mess of confused limbs, hitting their head against something hard that sent the world around them spinning.

And it all happened in a matter of seconds.

They looked up at the white bokoblin still charging at them. It was going to reach their limp form any second now. There was a very distinct voice — whether in their head or in the real world they weren’t sure of — telling them to run, telling them to just try to move, telling them to do  _ anything _ to get away from that beast. Of course, they tried, even if their vision was a blur of towering trees and waving ferns and their ears were overwhelmed with a mess of growling, trampling, yelling and who knows what else that they couldn’t recognize in the heat of the moment.

They began to scramble backwards on all fours, eyeing the blurry form of the beast with mounting dread. Even as they tried their best, the ground was too slippery from the rain and their limbs were to weak to move quickly. They could only watch in terror as the bokoblin continued it’s forward charge, completely unaffected by the pouring rain or howling wind.

They shrieked and cowered into a ball just as the bokoblin leapt up at them. The image of the white bokoblin rising in the air  **—** nothing more than a black silhouette against the fire, save for it’s blade that glowed with the fire’s light  **—** was burnt into their memory. They waited in silent agony for it to all be over, for the darkness of the forest floor they saw to turn into the darkness of death.

But it never happened.

Instead, there was a loud crash nearby, a sudden clash of swords, and a desperate shriek from the bokoblin. They were other sounds after that, of course, but their panicked mind was too overwhelmed to properly process that at this point. They could only stay curled up in a ball, shaking as they tried to figure out why there weren’t dead.

A few moments after the first rush of violent noise, everything fell silent. Even the rain and wind seemed to soften a little.

“Are you okay?”

Link’s voice, gentle with just a hint of the anxiety even he couldn’t hide, was what brought them back to reality. They sat up straight, suddenly processing what had happened a few moments ago. Link had dived in at the last second, completely knocking the bokoblin out of the air. And, based on their now peaceful albeit rainy surroundings, he had swiftly finished it off too.

They were unable to make a response as they realized how closely they had come to dying. If Link had come just a second later… The idea made them want to curl up into a ball again and cry.

Link rushed to crouch by their side, blue eyes shining with the worry he was trying so hard to hide. “Are you okay?” he asked again, cradling them into his arms.

“A little beat up, that’s all,” they just barely managed.

Link breathed a sigh of relief, closing his eyes and resting his head against theirs. “Thank Hylia,” he muttered, holding them a little closer.

For a moment the two of them stayed unmoving there, even as the rain continued to patter against them. Slowly but surely, their breathing became level again and their heart beats returned to a steady rhythm. Although the near disastrous events had only just unfolded, they already felt like some distant nightmare from another life.

Without saying a word, Link was gingerly scooping them up, though his grip was just a little too tight. They briefly considered saying that they could walk just fine, but figured Link probably wasn’t going to let go of them for awhile after that whole incident. Besides, they thought, curling up in against Link’s chest was surprisingly comfy.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Link asked as he began to walk them back to their camp.

They nodded. “Just a bit shaken,” they said.

Link held them a little closer and shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he said stiffly. “I shouldn’t have left you alone like that.”

“Don’t blame yourself,” they said softly. “I’m the one who panicked and didn’t know how to use a sword.”

“And I’m the one who left you alone for far too long in an unfamiliar forest without even looking around for danger first,” Link added. As they returned to the fire-lit clearing again, they could now properly see his face. Earlier, it had been obscured by a darkness the fire couldn’t quite penetrate from that distance. But now that they could really see him, they realized how upset he was. His features, usually so calm and collected, were now stony and hard as he tried to keep the anxious light in his normally calm blue eyes from spilling into the rest of his face.

They squirmed out of Link’s arms and he reluctantly let them out, although he still kept one protective hand on their waist as they faced him.

“Link,” they began, gently cupping his face, “you can’t beat yourself up over this. It was an accident and I won’t—”

“But I’m supposed to protect you,” Link cut in. His voice was hushed but urgent. “It’s my job to keep you safe and tonight I don’t think I could’ve messed up more.”

“You can’t protect me from everything,” they said gently. “No one can.”

He frowned and leaned into their touch. He stayed quiet, even as he put his hand over theirs. In the few moments that it had taken them to walk back into the clearing, scenario after scenario of what would’ve happened if he had showed up just a second later played before his mind. Every new scenario, each worse than the last, sent a flash of lingering fear through him. Even now, just seeing them shake and look so frightened sent a stab of guilt through him. He had come  _ so _ close to losing the person he loved most. Although he knew they were safe and sound now, the overwhelmingly dreadful feeling still refused to leave him his chest.

It was feeling he never wanted either of them to experience again.

“You’re right,” he said after a few more seconds of silence. “So I guess I’ll just have to teach you.”


	5. Link x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and s/o making creamy heart soup together

It had all started with a casual observation. As the two of them had been unsaddling their horses, Link had noted with dull interest that the stable hands were making a Carrot Stew for dinner. He probably would’ve forgotten the brief observation in a moment had they not replied with:

“Really?” they had said, peering at the soup with curious eyes. “I’ve never had that before. It looks good though.”

“Never?” Link said, quirking up an eyebrow. “It tastes like a Veggie Cream, just a bit sweeter.”

They shook their head. “Never even heard of that one,” they admitted.

Link glanced between them and the pot of boiling stew, a sharp curiosity beginning to shine in his ever observant eyes. “But you’ve at least had Clam Chowder, right?”

They shook their head again, now quirking their head to the side in slight confusion. “Not to sure clams would taste too good in a soup to be honest,” they said. “The shell would be way to crunchy in a soup.”

Link quizzed them some more soups he knew of, earning a similar reply to each and every one of them — they were clueless.

“I’m not really familiar with most soups,” they had admitted sheepishly after Link had suggested a few more dishes. “My family could barely afford and prepare a piece of meat, let alone all those fancy soups.”

“Well, we’ll have to fix that, won’t we?” Link had said, setting his grin and eyes gleaming with steady determination.

And that was what had led to the two of them to be huddled around a cooking pot that was already steaming with a delicious aroma. Link had chosen this soup instinctively, saying something about how much they were sure to like it even if they weren’t used to having soup, and had refused to take no for an answer. With a blush, they had tried explaining that he really didn’t need to be going out of his way for them, but he had remained insistent. Chances to spoil them were few and far between, especially on the road, so he wasn’t going to let an opportunity to show his affection in the way he knew best — cooking, of course — just slide by. 

As of now, they were awkwardly trying to cut up some radishes, Link watching them with a fond smile and attentive eyes that had been spending more time looking at  _ them _ than what his hands were cutting up. They stuck out their tongue and glared down at the radish which was coming out in awkward chunks no matter how carefully they tried to cut it. Given their lack of experience compared to Link, it was really quite easy to explain, but still was adorable enough to bring a smile to Link’s usually so unmovable features.

They glanced up at Link, the red tint to their cheeks only making them cuter. “I’m trying my best, okay?” they huffed.

Link finally allowed that teasing smile to grace his lips. “I never said you weren’t,” he said gently, his sky blue eyes sparkling with mischief that even he couldn’t hide.

They shot a somewhat jealous glare to Link’s expert hands that were more than easily slicing through the volfruit and hydromelon with well practiced movements. Even if they were lacking in the same culinary skills that Link had, they couldn’t help but feel at least a little peeved that his movements were so casual, careless almost.

“Show off,” they mumbled, returning their gaze down to the radish with newfound determination.

Link grinned. “You’ll get better,” he said, leaning over to a dot a careful kiss to the top of their head, which, in all honesty, only made their radish chunks turn out even more askew than before.

They shook their head in some vain attempt to shake away their embarrassment. Their face was beginning to burn an unpleasant temperature, whether it was because they were so close to the boiling broth or the messy haired swordsman was uncertain. They snuck a glance towards Link, whose blue eyes were finally focusing on the food in front of him instead of them for once. With the same precision he would use with his sword in a fight, his knife was seemingly gliding through the food with precision that could only come from years of practice.

They watched the speed he cut with a spark of determination. They began to cut faster too, trying to mimic his movements as their eyes focused on him. It was safe to say they were feeling a bit useless here — especially since Link had insisted making this meal just for them — and felt the least they could do was match his pace. Their brow furrowed further as they continued watching and copying the swift flicks of his hands, beginning to feel that maybe it wasn’t the best idea for them to be even trying to copy—

“Ow!”

They yanked their hand back by reflex, clenching the finger that their knife had nicked. The pain, while sudden, was completely overpowered by the embarrassment beginning to burn up their face. The awkward radish chunks had been bad enough on their own, but getting a cut because they had been too busy staring at Link was just adding extra fuel to the fire now flaring in their cheeks.

Link looked up instantly, his sharp eyes darting to their hand instantly, half expecting to see blood pouring out from a deep cut. “Are you okay?” he asked carefully, hurriedly placing down his knife and reaching for the offended hand.

“Fine,” they barely managed, all too aware that their face was probably the same temperature and shade of red as the soup boiling in the pot.

His crystal blue eyes met theirs with a look of relief and — after making sure that there was no hidden pain or tears glistening in their round eyes — he sighed gently. “Just be more careful,” he said, calmly nodding down to where their knife had just barely nicked their finger. He shifted around to kneel closer by them, his calloused hands gently enveloping theirs. He leaned on them slightly, pressing his warm body against theirs. His head was hovering just over their shoulder so that his steady breathes fanned over their neck and his mess of hair brushed against their cheek.

“Always cut away from yourself,” he said, guiding their hands through a few slow cuts so that they could become familiar with the movement. “And make sure to take your time since you’re still learning.” It would’ve been quite easy for them to get a feel for cutting through the radish like this had they  _ not _ been dealing with the overwhelming distraction of having Link hovering so close by. Blushing as red as the radish they were cutting with Link’s assistance, they were far more focused on how  _ carefully _ he held their hands and how  _ warm _ his breathing felt against their just as heated neck.

Once he was convinced that they wouldn’t repeat the mistake from earlier, he slid back to his side of the pot. After flashing them a smile far too knowing for their liking — he’d done all that leaning close to them and holding their hand so softly on purpose, hadn’t he? — he returned to cutting up his volfruit.

The next few moments luckily passed without incident, even with their lack of cooking experience and Link staring at  _ them _ more than the actual food he was cutting up. Once they were both finished, he dumped his neat chunks into the broth and motioned for them to do the same. They did so, though with a light flush as they realized just how disproportionate they were compared to Link’s careful slices.

“It was your first try,” he said with a small smile.

“I know,” they mumbled, twirling their hair around their finger in a common nervous habit of theirs that Link happened to find quite endearing. “At least I didn’t take my finger off, right?”

Link’s lips twitched into a genuine grin, one glowing with a soft happiness that was so rarely sparked by anyone but them. “I guess we should be thanking Hylia for that at least,” he said, taking up the ladel and beginning to mix the various ingredients around.

“So what soup are we making again?” they said, quickly changing the subject. “I don’t remember you mentioning it.”

Now, it was  _ finally _ Link’s turn to look embarrassed. A soft blush crept up his face, rising all the way to the tip of his ears. “Just something I thought you would like,” he said, his voice managing to not betray his sudden embarrassment.

They examined the soup more closely. It had been giving off a sweet aroma for ages, and the warm colors created an almost comforting feeling in their chest. The ingredients hadn’t been unusual or expensive either, which was probably why the lovely little soup already felt familiar to them. All and all there was nothing odd about it as far as they could tell.

So why was Link suddenly acting so awkward about it?

They shot a glance up at Link, who was still intently stirring around the contents of the soup. “But what’s its name?” they persisted.

Link shrugged gently. “Doesn’t really matter, does it?”

They leaned closer to Link, their curiosity over the small matter growing exponentially with every second he withheld the minor piece of information. “I think it does,” they said. “And, didn’t you say you were cooking this because you wanted to show me different soups? It wouldn’t do to just leave out the name, would it?” They grinned triumphantly, oblivious to the bud of blush that was blooming out over his face like a rose in spring, staining his face the same deep red of the flowers petals.

He sighed. Clearly, there was no way he could worm his way out of an answer. “Creamy Heart Soup,” he murmured, becoming even more interested in swirling around the contents of the soup. He tried to think about the steam steadily rising from the red broth, penetrating the cold air in barely visible waves of steam, while neat chunks of various veggies —  _ mostly _ neat, anyway — swirled just beneath the surface. However hard he tried to focus his eyes on what was just in front of him though, his mind repeatedly went back to focusing on the sudden nervous butterflies fluttering in his stomach and hurriedly spreading through the rest of his body.

He knew it wasn’t hunger, that much was certain. It was embarrassment, definitely. In hindsight, choosing this soup of all the ones he knew hadn’t been his smartest choice. He knew it was a trivial matter to be getting so flustered about, but having to admit that he made this soup  _ specifically _ for them was enough to have him feeling like a mess. Making this soup had seemed fitting just awhile ago, but now seemed overly romantic and childish, going against his usually more subdued methods of showing affection.

“Here, why don’t you try some?” Link said, hoping to change the subject. Still keeping his gaze on the soup, he snatched up a nearby spoon, filled it up, and began to raise it to their lips — which were currently quirked up into a devilish grin.

“Creamy Heart Soup,” they repeated, their eyes now gleaming with a mixture of mischief and a warmed heart. They tilted their head to the side, eyeing Link and the soup with new fondness. “That’s precious, Link, really.”

“It’s just soup,” he mumbled, toying with the hem of his shirt.

“Creamy  _ Heart _ Soup,” they said, grinning widely. “You’re adorable, you know that, Link? A hopeless romantic, I dare say,” they added with a small nudge.

Link nudged them back just as gently and rolled his eyes. “I’m not a hopeless romantic,” he said, gesturing for them to take a sip of the soup he was still holding to their lips, praying to Hylia they would move past this topic.

“Says the person who just made me Creamy Heart Soup,” they replied with the same sparkling smile on their face that rendered Link unable to reply. Luckily, no reply was needed for him as they finally leaned forward and took a tentative sip from the spoon Link had been offering up to them.

A pleased light sparkled in their eyes — the very one that always managed to soften Link’s heart — as the sweet and warm soup went down their throat. They let out a happy hum, savoring the taste with a content smile.

“Well you were right when you said I would like it,” they said, eagerly reaching for a bowl to fill. They leaned over to for a kiss to the top of his mess of golden hair, earning a soft hum from the young knight.

He shook his head in vain as he tried to hide the red dusting of color that was refusing to leave his features. Try as he might though, the gentle dusting of rose like red stubbornly stained his cheeks through the whole time they finished their meal.


	6. Sidon x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon rescueing his s/o after they were kidnapped and ransomed by the Yiga Clan

Exactly four days ago, you had left for a week long trip to visit family. Sidon had made sure that you were packed with the best supplies and were safely escorted to the nearest stable and given the finest horse there. Your send off, full of quick kisses and promises that you would be back before long, went as smoothly as could be expected.

For those four days everything had continued as normal, even if Sidon and your friends were missing you. Sidon especially found himself continually glancing up from his paperwork at the slightest of sounds, half expecting to see your gentle smile peeking out from the door or hear your tinkling laughter spilling in from an open window. He felt somewhat embarrassed for missing you from only a few days absence, but the slight blush rising up his face whenever he thought of you did nothing to hinder the simple fact that he couldn’t wait for your return. 

So, for those four days, the only abnormality was your absence.

It was on the fifth day that something unusual happened. 

The fifth day was when  _ it  _ happened.

Just as dawn was breaking over the horizon, a guard came rushing into Sidon’s quarters, handing him a letter from a person he didn’t know with a letter seal he didn’t know.

“Did they say anything else when they gave it to you?” Sidon asked, still examining the letter. The letter’s seal had a symbol that looked  _ vaguely _ familiar, but he still found himself unable to completely place it.

“They only said that it was an urgent message,” the guard replied. “And that they were unable to give it to you directly.”

“And who exactly delivered this to you?”

“A young Hylian man. I’d never seen him before,” the guard added after a pause. 

“Interesting,” Sidon said, voice calm.

_ That _ was the last moment of calm though. 

The second the letter was opened, all notions of peace and calm were forgotten throughout the entire Domain. The lover of Sidon, the  _ Zora Prince _ , had been kidnapped and ransomed by the  _ Yiga Clan _ . 

There would not be a moment of rest until you were found. 

Sidon felt a torrent of emotions as he impatiently waited for the guards to finish assembling, the three most prominent being fear, frustration, and anger. Fear because you were alone with those awful people and your life was on the line — an idea that terrorized his every thought no matter how he tried to push it away. Frustration because there was nothing he could do until the rest of the guards were ready. Anger because those awful people had dared to threaten you due to your intimate connection with him, and he had allowed it to happen.

Somehow though, the only sign of his internal turmoil was his constant pacing and sharper than usual orders. He kept his mind busy with preparations: gathering weapons, organizing guards, making plans. With so many worst scenarios swirling through his mind no matter how he tried to push them away, he refused to rest until you were safe in his arms, no matter what.

You, of course, were completely unaware of all that was unfurling in hopes of finding you. You were in a dark and dusty jail cell, huddled against the back wall. You weren’t sure why, but over the three days you had been there you had come to favor this wall. Whether it was because you wanted to be as far from your captors as possible or the slight security the shadows gave you, your back was almost always pressed up against the wall.

To say you were terrified was an understatement. You had been gone for just two days before you were captured, and although you were on your third day of being in the exact same cell, you knew as little as you did since the first day. You didn’t know where you were. You didn’t know if or when anyone was coming to save you. You didn’t know when your next meal would come or when your anxiety would slip away just long enough for you to catch a few hours of uneasy sleep.

All you knew was that the Yiga had captured you and the only reason they hadn’t killed you was because of the hefty ransom they had placed on your safety. You didn’t even know the exact details of the ransom: who it was to, what it was asking for, how the exchange would go down,  _ any _ of it. Granted, you tried not to think too much about it. That ransom was the one thing keeping your meager meals coming and the Yiga’s weapons mostly at bay, and you didn’t even want to begin wondering what might happen to you if your possible rescuers refused to pay the ransom. 

You were jolted from your thoughts as a Yiga guard came into the room. You warily eyed the weapons hanging from his side, pressing yourself up against the wall even if you felt pathetic just doing it. There was no food on him and, although your sense of time was severely tampered from being in this dark cell, you knew it was far too early for the Yiga to be switching to the night shift. Your heart pounded wildly in your ears as the Yiga came closer to your cell. Was this it? Had they given up on the ransom? You looked around wildly, as if hoping to see some weapon to defend yourself with, only to find the same dry, dirty, and empty cell. Dread wrapped around your throat, strangling any scream or plea that might have broke free. 

Despite your fears, the Yiga didn’t open your cell or even acknowledge your presence. He simply walked to his comrade’s side and said, “The Prince’s group has arrived. They’ve agreed to all the terms of the ransom as long as they” — he didn’t even glance at you when he jerked his head in your direction — “are safely returned.”

You ran a hand down your side and winced at the word  _ safely _ . The Yiga had already failed that part of the deal. You were underfed, had bruises and cuts from resisting or being dragged around, and more sleep deprived than you thought possible.  _ Safely _ wasn’t the word you would use to describe your current state. Still, relief swarmed through you.  _ Sidon  _ was here, and you knew that as long as he was, you still had a chance of getting out alive.

Of course, the Yiga saw no issues with your current state, so his comrade had no hesitation in nodding his head in agreement. “We all knew as much,” he said. “We probably could’ve doubled the ransom and that Prince would’ve paid.”

Although you couldn’t see their faces due to the eerie masks they wore, you could hear the glare in the other’s voice as he replied, “Don’t press our luck.”

The Yiga guarding your cell shrugged. “So why’d you come back here?”

“The Zoras refused to go any further into business without seeing they were alive,” he said.

You tightened your jaw as you clung to a cold metal bar to pull yourself up. Your head swam and body shook from the effort, but by the time the two Yiga had opened your cell, you were miraculously on your feet. Now, the problem was walking. Before you even had a chance to test who unsteady your feet would be though, you were being tugged forward with one Yiga holding each arm. You stumbled more than walked out of your cell, and probably would’ve fallen straight on your face if the Yiga hadn’t been there to jerk you back up. 

Somehow, you managed to stumble through the dark halls even if keeping your head up and eyes open was a challenge. The idea of Sidon kept you going — the idea of being able to run into his arms, to be scooped into his strong hold and hear him tell you everything was okay now. It was the only thing giving you hope.

You became aware of the faint murmur of voices as you approached what your foggy vision could barely tell was a door. One Yiga pushed open the door while the other moved to hold your hands behind your back. Before the notion of escape even entered your mind, a thin blade was pressed against your neck — not harsh enough to draw blood, but enough for you to recognize the implied threat. One wrong move and you were dead.

When you stepped outside you were greeted by the sight of the Gerudo desert at dusk. Based on the lack of anything but sand and more sand in your sight, you assumed this was just a temporary base. Not that that made you feel any better though, since there were still a dozen other Yiga fanned out around the entrance. 

However, your gaze went right past the Yiga. Even if their weapons were tinted a menacing orange in the fading light, the only thing you could focus on were the ten Zoras standing a dozen paces away, fanned out in a line similar to the Yiga. Relief flooded through your every vein. Sidon had come for you, and from the looks of it, he hadn’t come unprepared. Each guard had a silver weapon in their hand and Bazz, standing in the center of the line, had a wooden chest that you assumed contained the ransom. Everything was going to work out fine. The Zoras were here, the ransom was ready, and Sidon was…

Not there?

Sidon wasn’t there.

Fighting to keep your head still so that the blade against your throat didn’t go any deeper, your eyes roved up and down the line of guards. The faces were all familiar, but Sidon’s wasn’t among them. Why wasn’t he here? Did something happen to him? 

Even with the group of Zora guards standing within your sight, Sidon’s absence subsided your relief. Your rescuers had arrived, but Sidon — who you trusted more than anyone — hadn’t. When the Yiga guard had first come in with news of the Zora arrival, your hope had been inspired from the idea of getting to see Sidon — see the soothing sea of blue in his eyes, see the calm expression he would wear to tell you everything would be okay, see the gentle smile he would give you as you returned to safety. Not seeing any of that settled uncomfortably in the pit of your stomach. While you knew the rest of these Zora were capable warriors, you couldn’t push away the twinge of doubt that washed over your senses. 

Before you could continue analyzing your situation, you were jolted to the front of the Yiga line.

“See?” the Yiga holding you said. “Perfectly unharmed. Happy now?” His voice might as well have been used to describe the weather.

Bazz nodded. The slight grimace that peeked through his calm facade told you he didn’t completely agree with the term “perfectly unharmed”.

“Very well,” Bazz said. He met your eye and gave you the closest thing to a smile he could manage given the situation. “We will continue now.”

You were never given a chance to get in one word, even if it was your life on the line. You were jerked back by your two Yiga escorts, and found yourself back inside the dark and dusty base over again. Dread hit you like a physical force. Why were you  _ in here _ when the exchange was happening  _ out there _ ? Were you just going to have to sit in your cage, helpless and alone, while the ransom for  _ your  _ life was dealt?

As you were shoved back inside your cage, you realized that was apparently so. Numbing fear radiated through your entire body. The click of the lock sounded like a death toll now. You barely registered the Yiga’s brief conversation; you only knew that they had deemed you too helpless to be in need of guards, and that they would be more needed outside to keep the Zoras in check. Even if screams and pleas wanted to burst from your tongue, you were too shocked by fear to do anything but stand there.

Their footsteps faded away, only to be steadily replaced by your racing heart. There had to be something,  _ anything  _ you could do to get out of here, or at least prolong the inevitable. Maybe the Yiga had become careless in the rush of events and left the keys. Or maybe, there was something here you could use to pick the lock while no one was looking—

There was a sudden scuffle to your right, followed by a flash of red.

You froze.

Had a Yiga come back to finish you off while no other witnesses were around? Were you being guarded without even realizing it? 

You instinctively backed up to the wall. You were sure of it now. There were definitely footsteps coming closer. Granted, there wasn’t anything you could do about it besides push yourself father from the door of your cage, squeeze your eyes shut, curl into a ball and—

The footsteps were practically on top of you when you heard a short, “ _ Oh thank Hylia _ ,” quickly followed by the rattling of keys in a lock.

_ Wait. _

That voice was familiar.

Your bewildered mind took a second to make the connection, but once it did, you were racing to the door about to be opened. You didn’t even give the metal door a chance to open completely — once there was a gap wide enough for your body, you were shooting through it and straight into his arms.

“Sidon!” was the only word you could manage before you allowed yourself to be embraced in his just a little too tight hold. He was crouched down on one knee to hold you close and was nuzzling the crook of your neck with obvious relief. “I thought you weren’t here!”

Sidon pulled back just enough to eye you with mild confusion and a furrowed brow. “Not here?” he said, cupping your face. “Why in  _ Hylia’s name _ would I not be here?”

“You weren’t with the rest of the Zoras when the Yigas took me out,” you said. “I thought that… something else had come up.”

Sidon shook his head. “I was here, just not there,” he replied. Then, before you could ask why, he added, “Bazz and I wanted to get you out of here right away. We were sure the Yiga had no plans of…  _ keeping up _ their end of the deal.” 

Oh. 

Did he mean…? 

Yes, you knew what he meant with the way he was looking at you now. His words settled on you awkwardly. You felt tears prickle at the back of your eyes, but pushed them away and pulled Sidon closer softly. 

Sidon happily returned your warm embrace. “But I’m not letting that happen, so we don’t know need to worry about that,” he said.

Sidon reluctantly pulled back to hold you at an arm’s length as he looked you up and down. He eyed the bruises and scratches scattered over your body with obvious disdain for the people who had put them there. There were a few that he examined longer than others, though it was clear he was pained by each one.

“I’ll bring you to a healer as soon as possible,” Sidon said. There was a shadow of a guilty apology that hung on his words. You wanted to comfort him — knowing full well he was currently holding himself just as guilty as the Yiga in the matter of your kidnapping — but before you could comment on it, he continued, “We need to get out of here.” He threw a glance back towards the hall that would lead to the main entrance. 

That made your mind snap back to reality. Comfort later, get out now. As it was, you had probably already wasted a few more seconds that you should’ve.

“We’re going to have to get past the Yiga…” you said slowly, brow furrowing. “Wait. How did you get past them in the first place?”

A faint smile tugged at his face. “I’ll explain later,” he said. Without wasting another moment, Sidon scooped you into his arms and began to walk in the direction he had come before. You were relieved to see that it wasn’t going towards the main entrance and the exchange happening out there. Granted, you still had no idea where you were going, but as long as you were safely wrapped in Sidon’s arms you didn’t care much. You were tired, hungry, and aching, but all of that would be fixed the moment you were out of here.

For now though, the best you could do was cling to Sidon a little tighter and hope for the best.


	7. Link x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and his female knight s/o are facing off against Ganon, but she gets injured in the fight

Pain shot through her body as she was thrown against the wall, spiking most prominently in her leg. Her vision fuzzed, causing the hideous beast before her to twist and blur. Her mind became just as fuzzy and uncooperative. She could barely tell that the beast was currently focusing on a small figure on the opposite wall, a silver object swinging through the air around them— 

Panic clutched her chest as she realized Link was taking on the beast by himself now — they had promised to stay by each other’s side throughout the battle, yet there she was, sitting limp and useless like doll. She began to pat around for her sword, which had been knocked from her grip before she had time to even process that she had been hit.

But as she tried to twist herself to look to the right, pain flashed up her entire body, rooting from her right leg. She looked down at it with confusion in her brows, soon seeping down into her eyes to show her sudden fear. Her leg was twisted in a such a way she couldn’t help but hurriedly look away. The battle faded from her mind as she gingerly felt her leg, wincing as even the smallest bit of pressure made her feel like she was being stabbed. She was useless now. How was she supposed to fight if she couldn’t even stand?

She chewed on her lip, trying to keep her calm. She brought her gaze up and began to look for her sword with renewed vigor. Maybe she could use it as a crutch to get to her feet? Then, she could stay behind Link and just use a bow and arrow to attack Ganon. That would work wouldn’t it? As long as she didn’t have to walk or— 

An animal like snort drew her attention away from the ground around her and towards Ganon — who was now looking at her with those blank, glowing eyes that made her blood run cold. The beast seemed to have lost interest in Link. Ganon was now creeping towards her, inhuman eyes sparkling as he took in her twisted leg. He may have not been capable of much in depth thinking, but he could still easily recognize a weakness and the opportunity that came with it.

She went to crawl backwards. In just one shift backwards her back was already against the wall again, the pain in her leg nearly made her cry out, and she still didn’t have a weapon in her hand. Dread felt like a punch to the gut. The beast was nearly on top of her and she was completely defenseless. She looked from right to left wildly, vision blurring as she tried to look at everything at once.

She set her jaw as Ganon began to raise his weapon. Could she dodge it? It would hurt, but it would keep her alive for just a few more moments, wouldn’t it?

Multiple things happened all at once then, so fast she was barely aware of their occurrences. Ganon’s weapon began to come down. There was a flash of blue and silver out of the corner of her eyes that came in front of her, blocking Ganon from her view. She hid her head behind her arm. Ganon’s weapon crashed down towards her and the blue blur, only to suddenly stop with a deafening crash.

Trembling far more than she would like to admit, she looked past her arm to see why her world hadn’t plunged into permanent darkness. It only took her a second to find the reason.

“ _ Link _ !” she gasped the moment she identified the blur. A mixture of relief and panic filled her chest. Relief for still being alive, and panic because Link had all but recklessly  _ thrown _ himself in front of her. “What are you—”

Link put his arm out to further block her view of Ganon and turned his head towards her to see her present condition. Anxiety had clutched his heart since he had helplessly watched her be flung into the wall, and seeing the state of her leg did nothing to ease it. Guilt and concern momentarily broke through his calm eyes as he saw her leg and the other small cuts that littered her body now. With a trace of guilt and anxiety still in his gaze, he met her eyes and gently shook his head, stealing a glance back at Ganon who was now pacing impatiently. She knew him well enough to understand his subtle motions, even if she didn’t like what he was saying —  _ stay back _ . Did she even have much of a choice?

Before she could even try to argue, Link had turned his head and was deflecting another one of Ganon’s blows with the type of deadly accuracy that only came when one was fighting for their life — or their reason for it. The whip of his arm and flick of his wrist misdirected Ganon’s wild blow, causing the blade to be thoroughly embedded into the rough stone of the cavern.

Link took his chance. One moment, she was on the ground, the next she was in Link’s protective arms and being carried away from Ganon. He pulled her close to him, as though she would somehow be safer that way. With one hand carefully minding her injured leg, his cool blue eyes began to search every inch of the cavern while Ganon was occupied. His eyes roved over the rough stone, searching for anywhere that he could hide her in. Anything from a rock outcrop to tuck her behind or a crevice for her to crawl into would do, as long as it kept her from harm’s way.

Still in his arms, she followed his gaze knowing what he was looking for. Unlike him though, she already knew he wasn’t going to find it.

“Link, just set me down somewhere,” she said, shaking her head. She tried to meet his gaze, but his eyes kept searching the stone walls. “I’ll handle myself. I don’t want to slow you down.”

A grunt from Ganon and the sharp twang of metal on stone filled the air as his weapon finally came loose from the stone. Their time was up.

Her stomach plummeted with dread. “Link, put me down,” she said, more insistently this time. She tried to wriggle around, but the combination of the pain in her leg and Link’s tight yet gentle hold made her stop. She cast a glance towards Ganon, who was already creeping towards them. “ _ Please _ . You’ll get hurt if you keep trying to carry me around.”

He didn’t respond. He only pulled her closer to his chest as Ganon came forward, raising his weapon high in the air. She wanted to do something,  _ anything _ to help Link, but the best she could do was hope and pray to Hylia this all worked out somehow. Ganon brought his weapon down. Link’s hands were too full to draw a sword, forcing him to dodge. He neatly side stepped the crashing weapon, twisting himself so that his body was between hers and the weapon. Just as quickly, Ganon made a side sweep, one that Link managed to dodge by dropping to one knee and pulling her flush against his chest.

Both times were close calls, closer than Link was comfortable with while she was in his arms. With the way she was shaking, she seemed to be thinking the same thing. Link glanced between her and Ganon, trying to keep his breathing level and his thoughts just as steady. As much as he would rather have her right against him when she was this injured, that was proving to be putting her into more danger.

Before Ganon could charge at them with another attack, Link stayed crouched down and allowed her to slide from his grasp, setting her down carefully and keeping her injured leg as still as possible. Then, without comment, he slid his shield off his back and handed it to her.

Her brow furrowed the moment she was grasping the shield. “Link, what are you doing?” He didn’t respond as he turned to face Ganon, who was beginning to circle to the left now, waiting for the right moment to strike. “Link, wait, please. You need the shield more than I do.” She tried to hand it back to him, only to have him shake his head and carefully push it back towards her. She understood exactly what he was doing – giving her a way to defend herself in case he failed to do so – and didn’t like one bit of it.

Without another word, he set his feet into the stone just a pace in front of her, unsheathing his sword with a sharp hiss of metal. Ganon’s pacing had gotten faster — he was tiring of waiting for Link’s move. Still, Link kept his calm. His eyes glimmered with that quiet yet unmistakable danger. Although his expression was still calm, there was a vivid fire in his eyes, burning with a will to protect her, as he had promised to always do. It was a silent threat – you hurt who I love, I hurt you – that would’ve sent most people running if they were smart enough to see it.

Ganon was not smart enough to see it. A threatening rumble from him filled the air. Link lowered himself into a fighting stance.

As long as air could come through his lungs, he would not allow one more drop of harm to touch a single hair on her head.


	8. Link x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link's s/o doesn't do well with blood, and he finds this out the hard way

The usual sounds of metal on metal filled her ears as she approached the courtyard where Link was training. Based on the pattern of hissing metal she had become accustomed to, she could tell he wasn’t practicing at the moment and was instead sharpening his sword. Good, she thought, it was good for him to be taking little breaks while he trained.

Squinting as she stepped from the torch lit halls into the bright courtyard, she found Link easily. He was sitting on the grass, back against a tall oak that dominated the center of the courtyard. As she had assumed, he was sharpening his sword.

“Good morning,” she called to him. “How has the training been going?”

Link’s attention whipped up from his sword, snapping him away from the train of thoughts he had become immersed in. He had been about to open his mouth to reply, but froze as a sharp pain ran over his palm. Confused more than alarmed, he glanced down at his palm and regarded the sizable cut over his palm with surprise. The cut he had just given himself was thin, but already beginning to bleed far more than it appeared capable of.

Embarrassment flushed his cheeks and the tips of his ears. Of  _ course _ this had to happen the moment she walked in. He shifted his sword off his lap and pressed down on the cut with his spare hand.

“Just a moment,” he said, looking up at her. She was standing oddly still in the center of the courtyard. “I’ll be right back. Did you need anything from me? I’ll patch this up and I can get you whatever– are you alright?” He regarded her swaying form with concern, noting how pale she had suddenly become.

She didn’t respond, gaze transfixed upon his injured hand.

Blood covered his open palm, just beginning to drip down in rivers and drop down to the growing puddle on the cobblestone. Her vision swam and her stomach seemed to swim with it as the ruby red droplets filled her mind. How was he handling this so calmly? Like nothing at all had just happened? Before she had a chance of ripping her gaze away, a spinning sensation overtook her whole body and she hit something hard.

She was vaguely aware of someone calling her name, and even less aware of something warm wrapping around her side before everything went black.

-

She was first aware of voices, two indistinct murmurs. There was one voice directly to her right, and the other to her left, but both voices were hushed and required too much energy to tune into. She vaguely felt like she was floating in water — which would explain why the voices felt so echo like and far away — but instead of feeling wet, she felt a soft material carefully wrapped around her body. A… blanket? She shifted slightly — which caused the voices to lull for a moment — to ascertain that it was indeed a blanket wrapped around her body that was for some reason lying in bed.

A frown faintly tugged at her lips as she tried to focus on the conversation happening around her. Maybe that would give her more information. 

“— so nothing appears to be wrong with her, Master Link,” a nurse said. “You said she appeared fine before swaying and then collapsing, didn’t you?”

Based on the silence, she blearily assumed Link was nodding.

“The best I can recommend is that she rest then,” the nurse continued. “She may have fainted because of something as simple as overworking herself. The chances of it being serious are slim to say the least, but… should that be the case, rest assured that we are prepared for it.”

Link must’ve nodded again, because the swift sound of footsteps past her bed, soon followed by the creak of a wooden door, marked the nurse’s exit.

She tried to remember why she was there, but her mind remained foggy and indistinct. Had she fallen asleep somewhere odd? And then had Link carried her to her room? No… that couldn’t be the case. She had recognized that voice as one belonging to a nurse, and there would be no reason for them to be here if she had simply fallen asleep. While she knew Link took her well being seriously, she also knew he had enough common sense to not go fetching the nurse over minuscule matters like falling asleep at odd times.

Curiosity allowing herself to push past the hazy veil that had clogged her mind, she flicked open her eyes. She found herself in neither Link nor her own quarters — the two places she slept most — and instead found herself in the healer’s wing. Usually, she had only ever been here as a visitor, specifically for Link.

So it was odd for  _ Link _ to be the one hovering by her bedside, while  _ she _ was on the cotton white bed.

“How are you feeling?” Link asked. Though his blue eyes were calm, there was a trace of worry that he couldn’t quite hide.

“Confused…” she murmured. Was there a reason that question was needed?

Link’s brow furrowed an almost unnoticeable amount. “You fainted,” he said, stepping closer to her bed. “In the courtyard. You had just said hello to me when you collapsed.”

She remembered everything at once, and even just the memories of the blood made her stomach turn. She could feel her face flushing under Link’s searching gaze, concern still lingering in his blue eyes. How in Hylia’s name was she going to explain this?

Link raised his hand — not the one that was now tightly bandaged — to her forehead, a frown tugging at his lips. “And now you seem to be developing a fever,” he added, observant eyes noticing her reddening face instantly. “Does anything feel off? Maybe you’re coming down with something or—”

Blushing furiously, she tried to swat him away, but he stayed firmly by her bedside. “It’s really nothing,” she said. “Really, I swear.”

“It’s clearly something,” Link said, taking his hand away from her forehead. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. There’s bound to be some medicine here that will be able to help you. If not, I’m certain I could find whatever you may need.”

She shook her head furiously, shooting up ram-rod straight in her bed only to have Link gently settle her against the pillows again. “That’s really not necessary,” she said, struggling for words. She didn’t _ mean _ to cause a fuss like this. “I’m fine. Really, I promise.” She took in a deep breath and fiddled with the white sheets, staring into her lap to avoid his soft — but still far too perceptive for her likes — blue eyes. He tilted his head to the side in a silent question.

She couldn’t handle it. It was too hard to hide the truth from him. “It was the blood,” she blurted, unable to handle the genuine but unneeded concern in his eyes any longer. “There was all that blood on your hand and well… you saw the rest.” She was certain even the tips of her ears were burning bright red now.

Still staring at her blankets, she felt more than saw Link sit on the side of her bed, resting his hand over hers.

“I didn’t mean to scare you like that,” he said softly. “We both know I’ve had far worse injuries, but your surprise is understandable. But, I’m okay now. See?” He opened his bandaged hand, showing off the clean white bandage that covered the majority of his palm. “It will heal in no time.”

“Link that’s… that’s not quite it,” she said. Her face was on fire at this point. “While yes, I was concerned about your sudden injury, any blood would do that to me. I’m just a bit queasy around blood, that’s all. It’s silly, I know but…”

She scrunched her knees up to her chest and buried her legs in between them, feeling much like a small child. Link didn’t bat an eye at blood — not even his own when it was pouring from him in concerning amounts. Was he going to tease? Poke fun at her? Simply not understand how someone like her could have such an odd fear? Link had always been supportive and patient with her, but would it be the same with a fear like this?

Her worries were dispelled when her face was lifted from her knees by a pair of gentle and pleasantly warm hands. Link’s hands were calloused from years of wielding a sword, but still felt nice when she leaned into his touch.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed,” he said. His eyes met hers, and there was only understanding in them. “Fear is completely naturally. And blood is understandable. Most times it’s not a good thing to see. But you’ll get better with it, I promise.”

She let out a breath she wasn’t even aware she had been holding. She hadn’t realized it, but she had been needing to hear that for awhile. “Thank you, Link,” she murmured, nuzzling his hand against her face. “Thank you for understanding.”

Still cradling her face, he brushed his lips against her forehead. “Of course.”


	9. Sidon x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon's s/o is poisoned by the Yiga Clan

“Would you like a piece?” the young man asked. He was holding out a piece of bread with a strange jam spread over it. “It’s an old family recipe from far south. It’s very uncommon in these parts. You should try some.”

They smiled and nodded. The man had been nothing but polite to them, so it seemed only right that they try his food. “Of course,” they said. “I’m sure it’s wonderful.” They took a slice of bread from him and, after taking a quick sniff, took a bite. It was sweet and savory, but a bitter aftertaste soon followed. They were too polite to say anything though, and forced themselves to eat the rest.

“So what’d you think of it?” he asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

“Very good,” they lied. “I’ve never had anything like it before.”

He only laughed. “Quite true. It’s very exotic,” he said. “I doubt you’ll ever have anything like it again.”

As they forced out a laugh and smiled, he had no idea how much they  _ hoped _ he was right. After the man made a polite farewell, they completely forgot about the awkward encounter and continued with their day.

Despite that, hours later they stood by the railing, holding on with white knuckles. They felt  _ sick _ . The dull headache and somewhat unsettled stomach had begun an hour ago, but had refused to leave them since. It had steadily gotten worse, until they were standing there gripping to the railing for dear life. They tried to focus on the beautiful crystal water flowing below them or the gentle tinkle of running water, focus on anything  _ but _ the way they felt.

“Ah, there you are!” Sidon’s gentle voice made them whip their head up. The simple motion of standing a little straighter made waves of pain shoot through their head. Wait. Did their vision just  _ blur _ ? No, they quickly told themselves, it’s just the effect of jerking their head up too suddenly.

Out of the corner of their eye, they saw Sidon come to stand by their side. If they felt better, they would’ve given him a hug, or at least a welcoming smile. However, since doing either of those actions would probably send their head spinning, they opted to stand stock still.

“You finished earlier than we expected,” they said. The words felt awkward in their mouth. Their tongue felt limp and awkward, like they had just woken up from a long nap. “Did everything go alright?”

Sidon nodded. “We were going to renew some old treaties with the Rito, but inclimate weather caused us to postpone to a later date,” he said. “But I’ve been dealing with that all day, so enough about that. What have you been busying yourself with today?”

Even the simple motion of shrugging took a great deal of effort. “Nothing much,” they mumbled, voice faltering. Why was their voice acting like this? They wanted to tell Sidon about everything they had actually done that day, but their uncooperative voice silenced them.

Sidon said something, but they couldn’t quite make out the words. It was like he had walked very far away and tried talking to them, even though he was clearly still by their side. Pain rolled through their head, pulsing in the very center.  _ Why _ ? Why was this happening? Their vision was unsteady too. Were they moving, or was their vision blurring?

A gentle hand on their shoulder made their vision stabilize.  _ Oh _ . They had been swaying side to side. They hadn’t even noticed that.

“Are you alright, my dear?” Sidon asked.

They wanted to firmly nod their head yes, but found themselves unable to. They never wanted to worry Sidon when he had a kingdom to run, but the mounting anxiety in their chest made them forget that. “I don’t know,” they mumbled. 

Sidon crouched in front of them, concern glinting in his golden eyes. “You don’t know?” he asked softly. He tucked back a stray strand of their hair. “What do you mean by that? You’re as pale as a ghost, so you  _ mustn’t _ be feeling well.”

They shook their head miserably. Even their brain was starting to feel just as sluggish as the rest of their body. “I don’t know why I feel like this,” they murmured. “But it’s probably nothing.” Despite keeping their voice steady, they could still feel the doubt in their own words.

“I don’t think it’s nothing,” Sidon said, tightening his grip on their shoulders. “You seem quite unsteady — you’re shaking like you’re about ready to collapse. Did you get enough sleep?”

They could barely nod before Sidon continued. “Have you had enough to drink today?” He cupped the side of their face and tried to meet their dazed gaze. They were only half aware that they were looking into Sidon’s eyes. They were just so tired and aching… they didn’t want to think anymore.

Without thinking, they collapsed into Sidon’s chest. Besides letting out a soft grunt, he easily caught them and held them close. They were vaguely aware of him saying their name and trying to meet their eyes again. They were barely paying attention. Their senses were fried, causing Sidon’s voice to become a distant echo and his face to become an indistinct blur. All they could focus on was the overwhelming grogginess weighing down their whole body, sending waves of pain through their head and stomach. They just wanted to sleep. Sleep would make this all better, wouldn’t it?

Everything went black.

They weren’t sure how long they had been unconscious, but when they first opened their eyes, they felt like they had fallen off a cliff. There was a faded ache in their head and stomach, and a bitter taste in their mouth. 

They were so caught up in their feelings they didn’t even notice the Zoras across the room at first. There were three of them — Sidon, a healer, and a guard — in a tight circle talking in low voices. They weren’t sure if it was just their hushed voices or their groggy hearing, but they couldn’t make out what they were talking about.

“Sidon?” they mumbled. 

The three Zoras all jumped slightly. In a heartbeat, all three were around their soft bed, Sidon crouching by the closest.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, eyes showing the concern he couldn’t quite hide.

“Better,” they said. Compared to the awful sensations they had been feeling right before passing out, this was a tremendous improvement. “But… what happened? All I remember is feeling awful and then passing out.”

The three Zoras exchanged worried looks.

“We were hoping you could tell us that,” the healer said. She smiled gently. “Could you explain your symptoms, please?”

“If you’re feeling up to it, of course,” Sidon added hurriedly. “If not, you’re more than welcome to rest.” 

“I can,” they said. With the help of Sidon’s hands on their shoulder and back, they were able to sit up against the soft pillows. They gave a quick run through of their symptoms before they had passed out — nausea, headaches, their spotty hearing and vision, and sudden fatigue.

Sidon’s face grew more and more anxious as they explained. The guard managed to show no reaction and the healer only nodded her head as she carefully considered their words.

“Then I believe that proves my theory correct,” she said, though she didn’t look nearly as happy as she should’ve. 

“And what theory is that?” Sidon asked. He placed a protective hand on their shoulder.

The healer took in a deep breath. “Your Highness, I don’t mean to cause any alarm of sorts. It may have not even been intentional,” she began. Her eyes darted from Sidon back to them again and again. “But I believe they were poisoned.” 

Their stomach all but leaped into their throat.  _ Poisoned _ ? But how?

“Poisoned?” Sidon said, echoing their thoughts. His grip on their shoulder unconsciously tightened. “How could they have been poisoned? Surely, if the food in the kitchens was poisoned others would be feeling the same way.” 

The healer shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t know,” she admitted. “But everything makes sense. Earlier, the only medicine that had any effect on them was a common berry that reverses the effects of poison. And, after hearing their symptoms, it seems to be the result of a rare berry native to the Gerudo Desert.”

They and Sidon exchanged a confused look.

“But they haven’t been _ remotely _ near the Gerudo Desert recently,” Sidon said, brow furrowing. “How in Hylia’s name—?”

“Wait,” they said. All eyes in the room instantly turned to them. They hadn’t been able to realize it until the healer had mentioned the berry but now… now they were certain of it. “I think I know what happened.”

The three Zoras urgently motioned for them to continue.

They turned towards the guard. “Do you remember the young man who came here about a week ago?” they asked.

The guard nodded. “I do, yes,” she said. “Why do you ask?”

They took in a deep breath. “This is just a hunch, but…” Sidon took their small hands into his own to offer what encouragement he could. “He gave me some bread this morning. There was a jam on it and it tasted kind of weird and…”

“Where is he?” Sidon asked, whipping his gaze to the guard. His tone was more tense than usual, causing the guard to strand rigid.

“He left just a few hours ago,” the guard said. “He seemed to be in a rush. I would’ve asked where he was going but he left just as they fainted and I was called over to help.”

The healer shook her head. “That’s no coincidence. He’s our culprit,” she said. She did nothing to disguise the venom in her voice. Though they weren’t Zora, they were a beloved member of the Domain. Even seeing their safety threatened was enough to send the blood of most Zora boiling — Sidon’s especially.

“Is there any way it was on accident?” they asked, brow furrowing. The man had seemed so kind. Could he really have poisoned them? They looked down into their lap, suddenly feeling ashamed. “I should’ve realized. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to worry anyone, you especially Sidon. I didn’t—”

“Don’t apologize, my pearl,” Sidon said, voice soft. He placed both hands on their shoulders. “This isn’t your fault, and I don’t want you to blame yourself for one second. I want you to simply stay here and rest.”

“What about you?” they asked.

“I’m going to make sure that this situation can never repeat itself,” he said. Despite the intensity of his voice, he still managed to offer them a comforting smile. Then, with one last kiss on the forehead, he and the guard were whisking out of the room.


	10. Link x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of Link and his female knight s/o fighting Ganon together :)

Whether it was the pain in her leg or the ache in her stomach that made her wake, the first thing she saw was light brown. There was light and shadow speckled through it and after a few seconds, she realized it was fabric. She turned her head left and right, cringing at the slight movement. She was in a tent, she realized.

Why was she in a tent?

She tried to recall everything: she and Link had gone to face Ganon in the castle. The battle had been difficult but going well up until she had taken a bad hit that broke her leg. Link had rushed to her protection despite Ganon’s continued onslaught. She vaguely remembered him scooping her up, sheltering her from the rest of Ganon’s attack. Link had stood just in front of her, sword out and deflecting his every attack.

Then…

Then what…?

Panic gnawed at her chest as memories refused to surface. How had the rest of the battle gone? She couldn’t remember. No matter how hard she thought, all thoughts came to a halt at the same point. There were hazy images she could conjour, but she couldn’t decipher what was just imagination or true memory.

Had Ganon been defeated? Was Link okay? Was Zelda? How did she get in this tent?

Her anxiety mounting steadily with her number of questions, she sat up despite the pain shooting through her limbs. The tent was closed, so she couldn’t even see where she was. The sounds around her weren’t very distinctive either — birds singing and trees rustling in the breeze were sounds that could be found anywhere in Hyrule.

“Link?” she called out.

There was one dreadful beat of silence.

Then the next moment, Link’s head was poking through the tent’s opening. His golden hair was messier than normal and there was something grim in his features. His blue eyes landed on her, and a subtle flicker of relief washed over his face. 

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“Like a horse ran over me,” she replied. Then, seeing his worry, she quickly added, “But I’m fine, really. Just aching a bit.”

Link came to sit at the side of her cot and nodded. “That’s to be expected,” he said.

“So what happened?” She couldn’t help but let the question burst out. “Is Ganon gone? You and Zelda, are you two alright? Well, I mean, I see that you look fine, but where’s the princess even—”

“Calm down. You shouldn’t get so worked up when you need to be resting,” Link said. Carefully placing his hands on her back and shoulders, he coaxed her into laying on her back again.

“But you know I can’t rest until I know that everything is okay,” she pointed out.

For the first time in the last few days, a real smile tugged at his lips. “I know,” he said. “Ganon is gone. Don’t you remember? You were conscious right up until he was defeated.” He frowned now and ran a hand over her forehead as though that might help surface some hidden memories.

“I don’t remember anything from after a certain point,” she admitted. “It was from when we were in the castle, just a few minutes after I broke my leg.”

Link’s brow furrowed as he nodded. “You appeared conscious far longer than that,” he said. “I suppose you were too stubborn to completely give out, even if that’s what your memories did.”

She smirked. “I guess I was,” she said. “But what happened? Full details, everything. Where’s Zelda? Is she okay?”

“Zelda’s fine. _ You _ won’t be if you keep getting worked up like this,” Link said. “You should rest more. I’ll tell you after you eat—”

“Link, if you don’t tell me what happened in that battle, so help me Hylia, I will march myself out of this tent and investigate for myself,” she said. She pouted and crossed her arms, doing her best to look intimidating despite her injuries.

Link sighed and shook his head in a good natured way. “Fine,” he breathed. 

From there, Link explained the details of the battle. Even though she already knew the ending, it was nerve wracking to hear about all the close calls and dangers he had gone through. As her body tensed and brow furrowed over the more dramatic parts, he would pause long enough to pet her hair. Then, when she made a hurrying motion with her hand, he would shake his head and continue. He was exceedingly humble, and glossed over the battle’s details without any dramatic flourishes — which all the local travelers and bards would be sure to add in later. 

As he finished, she couldn’t help but feel cheated for having missed the entire battle, and more importantly, being there for Link. There were far more things that could’ve gone wrong than she cared to think about.

“Link, I’m really sorry I wasn’t there for the most of all that,” she said. She frowned and pulled the thin blanket tight. “I mean I was there but not… you know, helpful. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said. “It’s not your fault Ganon attacked you.”

“But we promised—”

“And we kept that promise,” he said. “We were there for each other.” She went to argue, but he shook his head. “I’m going to get you something to eat. Stay and rest.”

It went against her entire nature to be served like a royal — no offense towards the princess, of course — but with a broken leg, there wasn’t much she could do about it. She could only lie in her cot, hope to Hylia the kingdom was finally on the road to recovery, and wait for Link to return with breakfast.


	11. Link x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A different ending to Link and his female knight s/o fighting Ganon. They still win the battle, but at the cost of her life :(

The silence was worse than the chaos of battle.

It was so,  _ so _ much worse.

The battle itself had been turmoil, a seemingly never ending cacophony of noise, destruction, and weapons. Every second they had been fighting for their lives, struggling to stay just one step ahead of Ganon’s onslaught. It had been painful, stressful, terrifying, like a nightmare breaking into reality. He had lost track of how many times he was nearly killed, and worse, the number of times  _ she _ had nearly died. It felt like everything just kept going wrong, like even Hylia herself had turned her back on him. One moment Ganon had the upper hand, the next her leg was broken, and before he even had a chance to breathe, he was hiding her behind some rubble and running off to distract Ganon, ready to give anything to end the chaos. 

Now, as he searched through the rubble, he would’ve given anything to be  _ back _ in the battle. The silence hung over him, a taunting force pressing down on all sides asking questions he didn’t have answers to. Where was she? What had he been thinking to leave her behind? Had she been able to hide from Ganon with her injury?

And, worst of all, was she even still  _ alive _ ?

Link shook the question away and focused on looking through the rubble of stone and ash. He pushed through the pain, through the cold dread settling in his stomach and every inch of his aching bones. Worst case scenarios ran through his head, images of her crushed under the ruins of the castle or one of Ganon’s weapons going through—

He saw her. A strange combination of relief and dread twisted in his stomach as he recognized in her form sprawled across an open space. He felt fuzzy, like he was dreaming as he more so stumbled than ran to her side. Ignoring the blood, he drew her close to him, hand flying to her wrist to check for a pulse. 

Nothing.

_ No. _

His hand flew to her neck, pressing down as he searched for any remains of her comforting heat or steady heartbeat.

Nothing.

_ No, no, no, not like this, not like this. _

He pressed his ear against her chest.

Nothing.

_ No, no, no, no, no, this was all his fault. _

He flinched back, like he had been struck by a physical force, stronger than any of Ganon’s weapons. He felt like all the breath had been sucked from his lungs, like his body was as cold and lifeless as hers. Guilt rushed to fill in the emptiness as he clung to her. He should’ve protected her. He had promised to keep her safe, and this is what had happened. He had failed her.

She was  _ dead _ because of  _ him _ .

There were a million things he wanted to do.He wanted to scream against Hylia and demand she give her back to him. He wanted to run far, far away and somehow escape the emptiness eating him alive. He wanted to somehow make Ganon suffer just a little bit more for taking the life of someone who deserved only the best.

But all he could do was hold her a little tighter and bury his face in the crook of her neck. He rocked back and forth, hands trembling as he mumbled apology after apology in a voice hoarse from calling her name. He would’ve given anything to see her smile one more time, hear her laugh one last time, feel her comforting touch one more time.

Yet no matter how closely he cradled her, she was gone, and he would carry that guilt for the rest of his life.


	12. Link x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and his s/o woke up from a 100 year rest with no memories of one another or anything else. However, as they journey around Hyrule, there are little moments that hint at a connection still present despite the absence of memories

From the first moment he laid eyes on them, he knew they were different. Confused as he had been when he first awakened, their eyes, glimmering pools that radiated a familiar comfort, drew him close. Their voice had rung with clarity since the beginning, a clarity he had yet to find a parallel to despite their months of traveling through Hyrule.

At first, of course, he had tried to deny their connection. Having to grapple with this new world and his overwhelming task was enough — the last thing he needed to be thinking of was his and his companion’s past. He didn’t need to be thinking about their histories, why both of them had been saved, the why and how of their possible connection. 

But it was times when they sat around the fireside at night, talking with ease about everything big and small, that he wanted to know more about their connection. They always understood him — _always_. Even if he couldn’t find the right words to describe his emotions, or when he was too tired to even grapple for words, they understood. All it took was a single glance, and they knew how he felt, and they knew just what to say to lift the heavy weight from his shoulders. Their voice was as soothing as their words, and even though it felt silly, Link was sure it was meant just for him.

And perhaps even stranger, Link could understand _them_ just as easily. A small sigh from them and he instinctively knew they needed to talk about something. A string of uncertain words as they attempted to describe something, and he somehow could see exactly what they meant. Even something as small as the way they bit their lip and looked up at the sky could tell him they were annoyed at something — something that he, for the oddest reason, would have a sudden urge to get well away from them.

He felt their connection even when they were doing mundane things, simple tasks to take care of each other. Cooking meals with them by his side felt oddly domestic, like something that had always happened and _would_ always happen. When they were sick, he could practically feel their misery with them. It happened every time they were sick or injured — some strange, mother hen like instinct would take over him and refuse to let him rest until he was sure they were perfectly comfortable. Somehow, they did the same for them. Even when he didn’t want to accept help, the way they bandaged his wounds and told him to rest was so gentle he couldn’t help but let himself obey.

And if he ever began to doubt whether their odd familiarity was all in his head or not, seeing them in danger served as enough of a reminder. His desire to protect them went deeper than anything it should’ve for someone he had only known for a few months. When they were in danger, his entire world seemed to freeze, moving too fast and too slow at the same time. He was terrified, like he was about to lose something he — for a reason deeper than his own understanding — couldn’t live without. The adrenaline pumped through his veins like his own life depended on it, his chest felt tight, and even when he had them in his arms again, his body still trembled.

He felt it, the tug of familiarity, in the smallest moments too. The way their hands interlocked so perfectly with his when they were walking through crowded villages, the reassurance he felt with them sleeping by his side, how his face flushed when they said something sweet to him. Everything from being unable to stop a smile when they made an odd joke to having each other’s back in battle, all the way to loving the sleepy way they woke up and having their unshakable trust in him felt unnaturally _right_.

They were two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly, and he hadn’t a clue why.

It was _them_. _Everything_ about them.

It took him a long time to realize it, but he knew it was true. Their eyes sparkled with the constellations of stars he had once memorized, and their smile was the sun he had never known he missed until he felt its warm glow again. They had a laughter that belonged dancing through wildflowers and over crystal seas, yet felt so _right_ dancing through his ears, especially when he was the cause of it. Their hands were gentle yet capable, something he wanted to protect even though he knew they were fine on their own. Everything from their messy hair in the morning to the way they said goodnight was, in his eyes, perfect.

And as they stood there ready to enter Hyrule’s castle and finish this ordeal once and for all, Link was more certain than ever that their connection went deeper than the months they had spent together. He could only hope that they felt the same connection to him, and, perhaps, when Ganon was gone would want to explore it together. Their hands clenched together, he met their gaze, not surprised to see his own determination shining just as brightly in their eyes.

That’s when he knew it – they felt that connection too.


	13. Sidon x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon with cute f!s/o who sneezes every time she comes up from under the water (a cute, squeaky sneeze too!)

She plunged into the cool water, the blue swirling around her with sun dazzled bubbles. She let herself sink deeper into the dark blue and relished in the relief from the hot day above. For what definitely wasn’t the first time that day, she wished she was like the Zora, able to hide away in the cold depths for as long as she pleased.

Sadly, she was very much so a Hylian and could already feel her lungs itching for oxygen. 

She burst from the surface, the hot sun already on her.

And, like every time she resurfaced from a dive, she _sneezed_ not a second later, nose scrunching up and color rising to her face. A quick glance at Sidon showed he had noticed the sudden sneeze as well. He tilted his head to the side, puzzlement washing over his sharp features.

“Are you well, droplet?” he asked. He swam closer to her as his eyes roved up and down her for some sign of distress. “That’s the fifth time you’ve sneezed, and we haven’t even been here a whole hour.”

“I’m alright,” she replied, fighting away her blush. Usually, she hid her odd sneezing habit by simply not diving into the water. However, on a hot day like this, the temptation was impossible to ignore. The rush of cool air as she dived, plunging deep into the water — the feeling was well worth having to sneeze after every single dive. Sure, it was annoying and embarrassing sometimes, but the only way she could hope to improve would be trying again and again until she didn’t sneeze.

Sidon, however, didn’t look so sure. “Hylians are more sensitive to water temperatures than Zora, correct?” he asked. “Perhaps you should take a break from—”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” she said, sending him her usual sweet smile. “It’s just random sneezes.” Before Sidon could fret over her more, she scrambled out of the water yet again. She ran through the grass and up the natural stone staircase leading to the ledge she liked to dive off of — just high enough to give her a thrill, but not too high to worry her prince.

She stepped onto the top stone, the strength of the sun giving it a pleasant warmth. Deep breath. She felt like an idiot sneezing after every dive, but there had to be a way to stop it. Another deep breath. Surely, she could hold it in if she tried hard enough, right? One last deep breath. She was determined not to sneeze this time, because as silly as her goal was, it would give both her and Sidon some peace of mind. 

She crept to the very edge of the stone and peered down. Sidon gave her a little wave from below and she grinned back. 

Then she jumped. There was the usual rush of wind and cold water, the plunge into shelter from the sun. She wasn’t going to sneeze. No sneezing. _Not_ allowed.

Cold water surrounded her like usual. She focused on not sneezing, repeating it in her head over and over again. She broke to the surface, sunlight dazzling over her again.

“Achoo!”

_Oh for Hylia’s sake._

Before she could say or do anything, Sidon was ever so carefully picking her up and taking her back to the shore. She was cradled in one of his arms, resting against his shoulder so that she was just barely out of the water as Sidon swam towards the shore.

She gave him a confused look. “Sidon, where are we going?” she asked.

“I believe you are falling ill, my pearl,” he said. He looked at her, brows furrowed with quiet concern. She felt a trace of guilt for not explaining her habit to Sidon. She should’ve known he was going to fret. He was always attentive to her — even something like repeated sneezing would arouse his concern far too easily.

“I feel fine though, promise.” She smiled up at him, tilting her head to the side and praying to Hylia that a well executed doe-eyed look would wipe away Sidon’s worry. “Can we just keep playing in the water? Pretty please?”

Sidon’s resolution flickered as he looked at the soft smile he adored so much. “We _may_ after the healers have determined that you are well,” he murmured, nuzzling the top of her head. Clearly, the doe-eyed look had failed – Sidon was using his sick voice with her, a soft, hushed tone that was comforting when she was ill, but currently _very_ annoying. “I would not count on that though. You have been sneezing a great deal, so some rest will be recommended.”

“But I feel fine!”

“Then why are you sneezing?” Sidon asked. They reached the shore and Sidon carefully set her onto a low rock. “Surely it is a sign of being unwell?”

Color surged to her face and she began to fiddle with her hands. “Well, you see, I sneeze for a different reason,” she said, looking anywhere but at Sidon. “And it’s kinda embarrassing so…” She trailed off and shrugged.

“And…?” 

She pouted her lips as she thought. “Well…. It’s just whenever I….” she began, struggling to string the words together. “I… Oh, for _Hylia’s sake_ , I sneeze every single time I come up from a dive and it’s so embarrassing.” She brought her hands to her face, both to hide her blush and allow her to surreptitiously peak between her fingers to see Sidon’s reaction.

And despite all her fretting there was nothing but a flickering smirk and quiet amusement on his face.

“You do sneeze every time…” Sidon murmured, nodding slowly. “I don’t know how I didn’t notice it.”

She simply nodded, still hiding behind her hands.

He laughed lightly and pulled her hands away from her face, carefully holding them in his own much larger hands. “I’m not going to mock you, little pearl, you know that,” he said, smirk softening. “I’m simply surprised you’re so self conscious of something so adorable.”

She raised her eyebrows. “It’s…. not adorable.”

“Well, I believe it is,” he said, nuzzling the top of her head. “Most matters regarding you are quite adorable after all.”


	14. Sidon x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sidon protecting his s/o from the Yiga Clan

It was odd how an evening stroll had turned into a fear fueled speed walk through the uneven hills of the Zora Domain, night well nestled over the rocks with something following them. They had no idea what it was, or if it was even a _singular_ creature. All they knew was that the shuffling sounds had started just a few minutes ago. The sounds were nothing but the rustling of leaves and crack of branches, yet it was more than enough to make their hair prickle.

Deep breath, they told themselves. Animals were plentiful in the Zora Domain. No doubt, they were hearing nothing but the playful rustle of night creatures. They would probably reach home despite their paranoia and feel silly for being so nervous. They would receive a gentle chiding from Sidon about wandering off in the darkening day and he would reassure them they had probably been perfectly safe the entire time.

The wind howled, sharp and chilling, with an especially loud rustle from the nearby bushes. Images of frightening creatures began to swarm their mind, something their little dagger would be useless against in the stormy night. They clutched their cloak close to them and let a hand drift over the hilt of their dagger. It was of little comfort though. Stray raindrops danced across their cloak, and they knew they’d be receiving more than just a gentle chiding from Sidon. Maybe a loving _scolding_ would be a better term for it when they returned wet, frightened, and alone from a dark night.

Thunder shook the sky, a twig snapped just behind them, and they began to wonder if they would return to Sidon at all.

The urge to run was overwhelming but they pushed it away. The few raindrops scattering the terrain would make it too slippery for them to pass safely, and even if it were dry, running would only cause their to pursuers to completely give chase. They had to stay calm. Sidon would probably come looking for them with some guards. As long as they were found by the Zora before something else, everything would be—

An arrow rattled into the stone just a few inches from them.

Time to run. All caution was forgotten as they began to tear down the path, head bent against the strengthening wind and rain. Run, run, _run_ — that was all they could think of. Though they stumbled over dark shapes and slipped on the rain slicken rock, that was all they let themselves think about. Ignore how cold the rain was. Ignore the flashes of red Yiga Clan uniforms they caught out of the corner of their eyes. Ignore the flashes of steal glinting in the darkness.

They were vaguely aware of themselves crying out for help, calling the names of Sidon and every Zora they knew. Someone had to hear. _Someone_ had to. They dove between rocks and dashed into the underbrush, praying to Hylia for some type of guidance.

They turned a sharp corner and it seemed like Hylia had done the complete opposite. The path dead ended, leading to a sheer, flat cliff face twice their height. There was no hope of climbing it. The area was small and no matter how high they jumped or scrambled against the wet rock, they were stuck in it.

They whipped around and unsheathed their dagger. It was pitiful compared to the long swords of the five Yiga creeping closer, the gleaming curves of perfectly crafted metal showing more emotion than than their blank masks. They hoped their fear was well hidden from the Yiga — they planned on going down fighting.

They held their dagger up in front of them, trying to ignore how helpless their situation was. Rain was coming down in thick sheets now, weighing down their clothing and making the terrain even more perilous. The Yiga creeped closer, one of their heads tilted as though they found the whole ordeal quite amusing.

Then one of the Yiga glanced up at the ledge just above them.

Why…?

They risked a glance upwards and were rewarded with the sight of three armed Zora, one of which looked much like Sidon.

There was a blur of motion all around and the three Zora were on the ground in front of them, wielding long, silver spears. Relief flickered through the yelling and movement. They wanted to say something, but the words were smothered by fear. The Yiga were backing up now, uncertain how to face the new threat.

They couldn’t completely blame the Yiga; between Sidon’s low, almost animalistic growl and the intimidating stature of three armed Zora, the odds were no longer in the Yiga’s favor. There was a moment of no movement. The two sides stayed frozen, daring the other to make the first move.

One poor Yiga stepped forward and the tension snapped like a bow releasing an arrow. There was movement all around, too fast for their eyes to keep up with. All they knew was that Sidon was right beside them, a low growl still rumbling in his chest as he swept away any Yiga that so much as looked at them, his love, the _Zora Prince’s_ beloved. It happened too fast for them to keep up. They wanted to join the fight, but between their own confusion and the dangerous look in Sidon’s eyes, that didn’t seem like the best option. They gripped their dagger tight, throat in mouth and unsure what to do. This wasn’t a fight for them, that much was clear. It was happening too fast, flashes of metal glinting through rain and lightening, thunder rumbling over the clash of combat. It was chaos and chaos and—

In a burst of movement, Sidon scooped them up and slipped through a break in the Yiga line. They were pressed too closely to his chest to see anything beyond him, but the rush of stormy wind told them they were quickly traversing the rainy terrain. His grip was far too tight on them, though they were sure their tight grip was just as uncomfortable around him.

The rain suddenly stopped — they were in a cave. Sidon loosened his grip on them enough to see their face. His eyes were wide and frantic, gaze and hands running over their body for injuries.

“Are you well?” he asked, voice more strained than they had ever heard it.

They nodded.

He cupped their face in his hands, searching their rain soaked face. “Truly?”

“Yes,” they managed.

Sidon held them close again, his arms just a little too tight but they were just a little too tired to care. “Thank Hylia,” he murmured. “When you hadn’t returned it was already so dark and the storm was starting and I began to fear the worst and when I turned the corner and saw them all around you…” He somehow squeezed them closer to him. “I’d never been so terrified.”

They rubbed his back, feeling a shot of guilt though the fading adrenaline. “I’m okay.”

They stayed like that for a few more moments, rain coming down in thick sheets outside and thunder rumbling overhead, with an occasional breeze whipping through their cave. When Sidon seemed to have reassured himself they were well and truly unharmed, he let go of them.

“Now let’s return home. The two guards that assisted us should also be on the return — the Yiga were on the verge of fleeing when we left,” Sidon said, picking them up again. He lifted the hood of their cloak over their head, and though it was quite damp, it would do something against the rain outside.

“Thank Hylia,” they mumbled, snuggling closer to him. The two of them were at the mouth of the cave now, a few stray raindrops landing on their cloak. “I’ll be glad to forget this happened.”

Sidon paused at the edge of the cave and looked down at them, a frown tugging at his features. “I’m afraid we won’t be forgetting about this ordeal anytime soon,” Sidon said, voice sterner now. “Just what were you thinking going out so late with a storm coming like that? All by yourself on top of that.”

“I didn’t realize it was so dangerous.”

“Didn’t realize? My pearl, there are some things even I can’t protect you from.” His voice was tight again, like the statement was painful to admit. “And you waltzing off into danger like this makes it near impossible to even try protecting you.”

“I’m sorry,” they said. Maybe some other day they would’ve been annoyed with how much he fretted. But today was not most days, and they were in no mood for an argument. “I didn’t mean to worry you. I’ll be careful.”

Sidon sighed. “I’m just glad you’re safe,” he said. He finally stepped back into the rain and began making his way back to the other Zoras. “At the end of the day, your safety is all that matters to me.”


	15. Link x reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link's feisty female s/o rambling about how cute he is while she's drunk

“I’m not drunk!” she said, words slurred as she stumbled down the hall. “See! I’m fine!”

Link, just a few steps behind her only sighed. The obnoxious revelry and noise of the feast was well muffled by Hyrule Castle’s thick walls as he carefully watched her every step, waiting for when he would have to intervine. “Your room is just around the corner,” he said, arms flinching towards her after an especially rough stumble. “Do you want help the rest of the way there?”

She swatted away his anxious hands. “I can walk by myself.”

“You almost tripped over your feet.”

“Your point being?”

“I don’t want you to fall.”

“Well I won’t.”

With some effort she squared her shoulders and stood upright, away from the wall. Link watched as she began inching forward without the wall’s support, staying just a breath behind her with open arms. Her steps were slow at first, to his relief. She began gaining confidence though, steps becoming longer and faster, heedles to the carpets she was almost tripping over or expensive vases she nearly ran into. Link eyed her curiously, blue gaze focused on her every move. Maybe she was more capable than he had given her credit for. Maybe—

Link lost the thought as she began tipping forward with no hope of recovery, and he quickly snatched her into his arms.

“Let go of me,” she whined, lightly swatting his arms. “I’m gonna do it by myself.”

“You’ll get hurt,” he said. Then with a good deal of whining from her, he carefully scooped her into his arms.

“Put me down!”

“I’ll put you down in your room.”

“ _Noooo_!”

“Mhmm.”

She sighed heavily and leaned back in his arms which were far comfier than she wanted to admit. “You have really nice muscles,” she muttered, too busy poking his arm to notice the faint blush beginning to creep across his face. “Too nice. I’m jealous. And they look so handsome on you, it’s not fair.”

Link just nodded and focused on not dropping her, because his brain was having trouble processing this sudden attention on his appearance.

She cupped his face and Link instinctively leaned into the touch. Her eyes roved over him, and he suddenly felt quite vunrable with such an observant gaze on him. “You’re so handsome,” she said, shaking her head. “Handsome little Link. It’s frustrating you know, you’re too cute to really get mad at. I feel bad in like, seconds.”

Link cleared his throat. “Thank you,” he said, carefully avoiding her eyes. Was that response good enough? Or would it come off as arrogant? Or maybe careless?

He shook the thoughts away as they reached the room to her door. Somewhat awkwardly, he managed to open the door without dropping her. She began to wiggle her legs and he barely got her to the bed before she rolled free. She flopped onto the bed, splaying her limbs out over the thick blankets.

“I’m free!” she cried, smiling like a child.

A smile tempted Link’s lips. “Are you feeling alright?” he asked over his shoulder. He lit a candle, casting her cozy bedchamber in a comfortable glow. “You did drink a lot at the feast.”

“Are you trying to imply I’m a lightweight?” she shot back, glaring at him.

“No.”

“Good.” She crossed her arms. “Cause I’m not. But I would like some water.”

Link nodded and moved to the water pitcher on her bed stand. She began to hum as he poured the glass and set it on her bed stand.

“Anything else?”

She rolled over and stared up at him. He stared back. “You’re really cute,” she said. Link blinked back, slow and careful and trying to _stop_ that blush. “Like really, really handsome. Handsome and cute.”

Link’s chest was suddenly too full of fluff to speak. He could do nothing but stare at her, wondering how someone so beautiful could think he was… _handsome_.

“Cause you’ve got these ocean blue eyes and your hair is so nice and messy and you have the cutest smile! It should be against the law to make me blush so easily,” she said, somehow not noticing Link was the one bearing an uncanny resemblance to a tomato now. “Zelda should outlaw it! I’ll ask her!”

Link swallowed thickly, calm on the outside but beating his head against a wall on the inside. “Can I do something to make it up to you?”

She perked up far too fast for Link’s liking and nodded eagerly. “Cuddle me!” she said, stretching out her arms. “Right now.” She pouted slightly and wiggled her fingers expectantly. “I don’t have all day, pretty boy.”

Link smiled softly and shook his head, but crawled into bed with her nonetheless. The blankets were soft and thick, and within a few moments they were both tucked under their warmth. She hummed happily, and though her hair was a mess and the sweet tinge of alcohol was strong on her breath, he was struck by how beautiful she was — which did not help his blushing situation.

“Much better,” she said, thankfully breaking him from his thoughts. She looked at his face, a finger trailing down his nose and over his lips. “Now I can look extra close at your cute face.”

Link knew all too well that his blush had now spread to the tips of his pointy ears, and he could do nothing but accept it. She ran a hand through his hair, a motion that both soothed him and worsened his blush. Even drunk, her hands were slow and careful, the sort of gentle Link was as unaccustomed to as drunk compliments.

“I have you all to myself right?” she asked eventually, pouting and poking his chest. Her eyelids began to droop with well needed sleep. “You’re too handsome to share.”

Link, heart racing and face as red as strawberries, barely managed to nod. “Yes,” he breathed. “You don’t have to share.”

“Good.”

She buried her head in his chest and wrapped her arms around him, letting out a small hum of content. Link pulled the blankets closer around her and began fiddling with her hair, too awake for sleep as her compliments rung through his mind.

“Just to be clear, I’m still gonna ask Zelda to outlaw your handsomeness,” she mumbled through a yawn.

Link regarded her carefully, nodded, and prayed Hylia would help them both when she remembered all this with a sober mind tomorrow.


End file.
